Prospective evaluation of late effects after childhood cancer therapy with a follow-up over 9 years.
Intensive multimodality treatment has led to a remarkable improvement of prognosis in paediatric cancer patients, however, a great number of long-term survivors suffer from considerable tumour- or treatment-related late effects. Between January 1990 and December 1998, 223 consecutive survivors of childhood malignancies entered a prospective follow-up study designed to evaluate the frequency and severity of tumour- and/or therapy-related long-term sequelae. After cessation of therapy and subsequently once a year, all patients underwent a detailed examination programme including physical examination, laboratory tests, abdominal sonography, echocardiography, electrocardiography, electroencephalography, spirometry, audiometry, ophthalmological examination and endocrine stimulation tests. Median follow-up was 5 years (range 0.4 to 9.6 years). A total of 167 patients (75%) had at least one chronic medical problem of whom 80 needed permanent medical support. The organ systems most frequently affected were the nervous system in 39%, the endocrine system in 32%, the ears/eyes in 22%, the kidneys in 17%, and the liver in 12% of the patients. Some late effects (endocrine deficits, hearing loss, tubulopathy) were primarily diagnosed only several years after the end of oncological therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that a considerable number of former paediatric cancer patients suffer from remarkable long-term side-effects. Since life quality is an important parameter of cancer survival, careful follow-up of long-term survivors is mandatory with the aim to reduce or even abrogate possible side-effects at the earliest time.
Lackner
H
H
Department of Paediatrics, University of Graz, Austria. herwig.lackner@kfunigraz.ac.at
Benesch
M
M
Schagerl
S
S
Kerbl
R
R
Schwinger
W
W
Urban
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*