Childhood cancer survivors face long-term effects: report

Most American children will beat cancer but as many as two-thirds will come down with delayed effects such as cancer, heart disease and learning disorders, according to a report released Tuesday.

The effects are from either the disease or the treatment, said investigators with the Institute of Medicine, a branch of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences that advises the government on health and medical matters.

Parents, doctors and cancer survivors need clear guidelines so they know what to watch for, the expert committee said.

"Success in treating disease has been tempered by the knowledge that the cure has often came at a price, which may not be manifest until many years after completion of therapy," the report's authors wrote.

"As many as two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors are likely to experience at least one late effect, with perhaps one-fourth of survivors experiencing a late effect that is severe or life threatening."

The late effects include problems with growth, heart function, muscle movement or cognitive activity, the authors said.

For example, leukemia survivors may risk hepatitis C from blood transfusions while brain cancer survivors need to watch for neurological effects and kidney damage, among others.

Susceptibility to the late effects depends on:

• the child's age at the time of diagnosis
• dose of chemotherapy and radiation
• severity and location of the cancer

The report recommends better communication between primary doctors and specialists, raising awareness of late side effects and more research on preventing them.