Long-Term and Late Effects of Treatment

While treatments for ALL have led to increased survival rates, some may cause significant long-term or late effects. Long-term effects of cancer treatment are medical problems that last for months or years after treatment ends. Late effects are medical problems that do not appear until years, or even possibly decades, after treatment ends.

The long-term and late effects of childhood ALL treatment can include:

  • Increased risk for secondary cancer
  • Heart damage
  • Bone Damage
  • Cognitive effects, which can affect or child’s ability to learn and think

Ask your child’s healthcare team the following questions:

  • What long-term and late effects are my child at risk for based on his or her treatment plan, age, sex and overall health?
  • What screenings will my child need to monitor for these effects? And, how often will the screenings be done?
  • Which healthcare provider will be responsible for coordinating the screenings?

 Read the PDF, Beyond Treatment, for more information on survivorship and life after treatment.

Children's Oncology Group

The Children’s Oncology Group provides recommendations for monitoring late effects in the resource Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers. The information is reviewed and updated regularly by experts in survivorship care. The guidelines are written for healthcare professionals; therefore, it is best to review the guidelines with the help of your child’s healthcare team. The “Health Links” documents provided with the guidelines are written for patients and their families. As you read through these resources, write down any questions you want to address with members of your child’s healthcare team.

Visit www.survivorshipguidelines.org to download the guidelines and Health Links.

 

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