Comprehensive clinical follow-up of late effects in childhood cancer survivors shows the need for early and well-timed intervention.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Due to recent advances in treatment, nearly 80% of childhood cancer patients become long-term survivors. Studies on the late effects of survivors are under way worldwide. However, data on Asian survivors remain limited.

METHODS: Data on 241 survivors at the Long-term Follow-up Clinic in Severance Hospital, South Korea, were collected and late effects were confirmed by oncologists.

RESULTS: The median follow-up from diagnosis was 7.8 years. Late effects were identified in 59.8% of survivors and 23.2% had two or more late effects. Grade 3 or higher late effects were present in 10.8%. The most common late effects involved endocrine system (29.0%). Late effects were present in 95.7% of brain tumor survivors and 36.0% of Wilms' tumor survivors. Chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and radiotherapy were significant factors associated with the number and severity of late effects (P < 0.05). Brain tumor survivors had more severe late effects (P < 0.001), whereas Wilms' tumor survivors had fewer and milder late effects (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The observation that over 50% of cancer survivors suffered from late effects during the short follow-up period and that a high frequency of endocrine late effects was present indicates the need for early and well-timed intervention of the survivors.