Long term follow-up of survivors of childhood cancer: summary of updated SIGN guidance

• Published in: BMJ (Online) Vol. 346; no. mar27 1; p. f1190
• Main Authors: Wallace, W H B, Thompson, L, Anderson, R A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 27.03.2013; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cardiovascular disease; Chemotherapy; Child; Children; Children & youth; Cytotoxicity; Diabetes; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Fertility; Health risk assessment; Heart failure; Humans; Male; Medical prognosis; Medical research; Medical screening; Metabolic syndrome; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms, Second Primary; Oncology; Patients; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy - adverse effects; Surveillance; Survivors; Time; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.f1190
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 1756-1833

Cancer is diagnosed in 1600 children each year in the United Kingdom, and for teenagers cancer is the leading cause of death after accidents (unintentional injury, including road traffic incidents). The five year survival rate has improved over recent decades, from 30% to 80%; this increased survival has led to a rapidly increasing population of adult survivors, with an estimated 33 000 childhood cancer survivors now living in the UK. These survivors have higher premature death rates than the general population and are at increased risk of a range of physical and psychosocial problems. Late effects of treatment may occur soon after the treatment ends or many years later. Healthcare practitioners need guidance about potential late effects and the lifelong needs of survivors of childhood cancer. This article summarises the most recently updated recommendations from SIGN.