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Long‐term follow‐up of pediatric cancer survivors: Education, surveillance, and screening
Author(s) -
Landier Wendy,
Wallace W. Hamish B.,
Hudson Melissa M.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.20612
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer , health care , psychological intervention , childhood cancer , population , cancer survivor , quality of life (healthcare) , modalities , intensive care medicine , family medicine , pediatrics , environmental health , psychiatry , nursing , social science , sociology , economics , economic growth
Cancer and its treatment predispose childhood cancer survivors to chronic or late occurring health problems that may not become clinically significant until many years after therapy. Frequently, long‐term survivors of childhood cancer report late cancer‐related effects that diminish quality of life and increase the risk of early mortality. Risk‐based health care that involves a personalized plan for surveillance, screening, and prevention is recommended to reduce cancer‐related morbidity in childhood cancer survivors. To implement optimal risk‐based care, the survivor and health care provider must have accurate information about cancer diagnosis, treatment modalities, and potential cancer‐related health risks to guide screening and risk‐reducing interventions. However, previous studies evaluating health knowledge of childhood cancer survivors demonstrate noteworthy deficits and misperceptions about their cancer diagnosis, treatment, and cancer‐related health risks. In addition, because of the relative rarity of childhood cancer, many health care providers lack familiarity with cancer‐related health risks and risk‐reduction methods relevant for this population. To correct these deficits, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the Children's Oncology Group (COG) developed clinical practice guidelines to foster appropriate risk‐based survivor care. Herein, we discuss the development, benefits, and limitations of the SIGN and COG guidelines and the foundation they provide for standardizing long‐term follow‐up care of the ever‐growing vulnerable population of childhood cancer survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2006;46:149–158. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.