Late effects of the treatment of childhood cancer

Core Tip

Core Tip: Childhood cancer and contemporary anticancer therapies responsible for excellent cure rates can produce adverse, long-term, health-related outcomes, referred to as late effects. Therapy-related long-term complications may affect multiple organs and organ systems, including cardiovascular, endocrine/metabolic, reproductive, neurologic, immune, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, urinary, musculoskeletal, auditory, ocular, dermatologic and oral/dental organs, as well as contribute to the risk of neurocognitive and psychosocial difficulties, and subsequent malignant neoplasms. Many of these late effects are life-altering or potentially life-threatening. Long-term multidisciplinary follow-up of childhood cancer survivors is recommended for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of late effects.