Basics
Description
The majority of children diagnosed with cancer will reach adulthood. Childhood cancer survivors require unique medical follow-up. Risks of late effects depend on the treatments received as well as the type and site of cancer. The Children's Oncology Group's long-term follow-up guidelines serve as the basis for many of the recommendations in this chapter.
Epidemiology
- Long-term survival into adulthood for a child diagnosed with cancer is nearly 80%.
- Among adults treated for childhood cancer:
- Nearly 2/3 of survivors will develop one or more chronic health condition.
- Nearly 1/3 of survivors will experience severe or life-threatening complications during adulthood.
- Approximately 270,000 childhood cancer survivors live in the United States.
- These numbers will continue to grow as new cancer therapies become available and more children survive.
Risk Factors
Late effects of cancer therapy are influenced by tumor-related treatment and host-related factors.
Pathophysiology
Risk of organ dysfunction is related to primary cancer location and treatment used. See detailed systems-based evaluations in the following sections.
Diagnosis
History
It is essential for the primary care physician to obtain a thorough cancer treatment summary, including the following:
- Date of diagnosis/age at diagnosis
- Type of cancer, stage, histology
- Site of primary tumor and metastatic sites
- Relapse(s) and date(s)
- Treatment modalities
- Significant surgical procedures
- Treatment protocol(s)
- Chemotherapy
- Drugs and cumulative dosages
- Age of first anthracycline therapy
- Radiation therapy (XRT)
- Type
- Site/dose
- Total/boost doses
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)
- Type and date of transplant
- Source: bone marrow, cord blood, or peripheral blood stem cells
- Conditioning regimen
- Immunotherapy: types/cumulative doses
Physical Exam
Annual physical exam of the entire body with particular attention to organ systems as listed in the following sections
Screening Tests & Interpretation (By at-Risk Organ System)
Bladder Toxicity
- Chronic infections
- Hemorrhagic cystitis
- Risk factors: ≥30 Gy XRT to spine, flank, abdomen, pelvis, bladder, or total body irradiation (TBI)
- Bladder fibrosis and hemorrhagic cystitis
- Risk factors: cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide
- Urinary incontinence or tract obstruction
- Risk factors: pelvic surgery, hysterectomy
- Screen with annual urinalysis and detailed voiding history.
Bone Toxicity
- Decreased bone mineral density, osteopenia, osteonecrosis, increased risk of fractures
- Risk factors: corticosteroids, methotrexate, ≥40 Gy XRT to any field, or HSCT
- Evaluate bone density with DEXA scan.
- Scoliosis or kyphosis
- Risk factors: spine or thoracic surgery, XRT to spine, chest, lungs, or abdomen
- Spine exam annually until growth is complete
- Bone growth failure
- Risk factors: XRT to any field, especially cranium, spine, trunk, or TBI
- Measure height, weight, sitting height yearly.
Cardiovascular Toxicity
- Cardiomyopathy, left ventricular dysfunction, and arrhythmias
- Risk factors: anthracyclines (daunorubicin, doxorubicin/Adriamycin, epirubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone) and/or XRT to the thorax or abdomen
- Frequency of echocardiogram (ECHO)/multigated acquisition (MUGA) depends on cumulative dose of anthracyclines, age at first dose, and field of XRT (involving heart).
- Consider close monitoring during pregnancy.
- Carotid artery or subclavian artery disease
- Risk factors: ≥40 Gy XRT to head, neck, chest, lungs, or TBI
- Examine for carotid bruits or diminished carotid/brachial/radial pulses.
- Thrombosis at prior central venous catheter site
- Inspect site for pain/swelling
- Dyslipidemia
- Risk factors: TBI
- Screen with fasting lipid panel every 2 years.
- Vasospastic attacks (Raynaud phenomenon)
- Risk factors: vincristine or vinblastine
Alert
Anthracycline, antibiotics and XRT to the heart/chest/lungs/neck increases risk of cardiovascular disease; at-risk patients require detailed history, exam, and frequent ECHO/MUGA screening.
Dermatologic Toxicity
- Skin cancer, dysplastic nevi, fibrosis, alopecia, telangiectasias, nail/pigmentation changes
- Risk factors: any XRT, HSCT with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD)
- Encourage monthly self-skin exams.
Endocrine Toxicity
- Thyroid dysfunction, nodules, and cancer
- Risk factors: XRT to neck, head, spine, mediastinum, TBI, or therapeutic systemic metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)
- Thyroid exam and TSH/free T4 annually
- Growth hormone deficiency
- Risk factors: XRT to cranium or TBI
- Height, weight, BMI, Tanner stage every 6 months until mature, then annually
- If at risk: insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-2, and IGFBP-3
- Central adrenal insufficiency
- Risk factors: ≥30 Gy XRT to cranium, TBI
- Screen: annual endocrinology visit
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Risk factors: ≥40 Gy XRT to cranium, TBI
- If symptomatic, screen with prolactin level
- Hypopituitarism
- Risk factors: neurosurgery of brain, ≥30 Gy XRT to cranium, TBI
- Screening labs: cortisol, prolactin, testosterone/estradiol, IGF-1, TSH, FSH, LH
- Obesity
- Risk factors: XRT to cranium, brain neurosurgery
- Height, weight, BMI, BP annually
Gastrointestinal Toxicity
- Esophageal stricture
- Risk factors: ≥30 Gy XRT to spine, neck, chest, lung, mediastinum, mantle, abdomen, TBI or HSCT with cGVHD
- Cholelithiasis
- Risk factors: ≥30 Gy XRT to abdomen, flank, liver, kidneys, TBI
- Strictures, fistula, chronic enterocolitis
- Risk factors: ≥30 Gy XRT to neck, chest, spine, abdomen, liver, kidneys, pelvis, TBI
- Bowel obstruction/adhesions
- Risk factors: laparotomy or ≥30 Gy XRT to abdomen, pelvis, or spine
- Fecal incontinence
- Risk factors: pelvic or spinal cord surgery, cystectomy
Hepatic Toxicity
- Chronic hepatitis C
- Risk factor: blood products prior to 1993
- Screen with Hep C antibody, PCR if positive
- Hepatic dysfunction
- Risk factors: methotrexate, mercaptopurine (6-MP), thioguanine (6-TG), HSCT
- Veno-occlusive disease
- Risk factors: mercaptopurine or thioguanine
- Baseline: ALT/AST/bili; ferritin after HSCT
Neurologic Toxicity
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Risk factors: cisplatin, carboplatin, vincristine, or vinblastine
- Cerebrovascular complications
- Risk factors: ≥18 Gy XRT to cranium or TBI
- Neurocognitive difficulties
- Risk factors: brain neurosurgery, methotrexate, high-dose IV cytarabine, XRT to cranium, TBI
- Seizures, motor/sensory deficits, or hydrocephalus following brain neurosurgery
- Clinical leukoencephalopathy following methotrexate, high-dose IV cytarabine, or XRT to cranium or TBI
- Neuropathic pain risk following amputation
- Neurogenic bowel/bladder, incontinence, sexual dysfunction risk after spinal cord neurosurgery
Ophthalmologic Toxicity
- Cataracts/ocular issues
- Risk factors: corticosteroids, busulfan, XRT to orbit/eye, cranium, or TBI
- Annual funduscopic and visual acuity exams
- Annual ophthalmologist exam as indicated
Ototoxicity
- Hearing loss, vertigo, or tinnitus
- Risk factors: cisplatin, carboplatin: myeloablative or any does <1 year; XRT > 30 Gy to ear, cranium, or TBI
- Baseline audiogram (annually if loss detected)
- Otoscopic exam annually
Oral Toxicity
- Tooth enamel dysplasia and root/tooth agenesis or root thinning/shortening
- Risk factors: any chemotherapy (particularly at a young age), XRT to head/neck
- Xerostomia or salivary gland dysfunction
- Risk factors: head/neck XRT or cGVHD
- Osteoradionecrosis
- Risk factors: ≥40 Gy XRT to head, neck, TBI
- Oral exam annually; dental cleaning and exam every 6 months
Pulmonary Toxicity
- Fibrosis, dyspnea, decreased lung function
- Risk factors: bleomycin, busulfan, carmustine, lomustine, XRT to chest or lungs, or TBI
- If at risk, obtain baseline pulmonary function testing, and as clinically indicated
Psychosocial Disorders
- Neurocognitive, educational, or vocational difficulties
- Risk factors: any treatment, especially methotrexate, high-dose cytarabine, brain neurosurgery or XRT to head or TBI
- Educational/vocational assessment annually
- Formal neuropsychological evaluation as indicated
- Posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety, risky behaviors, body image disturbance
- Risk factors: any cancer treatment
- Assess mental health at each clinic visit.
Renal Toxicity
- Hypertension or renal dysfunction
- Risk factors: nephrectomy or carboplatin, cisplatin, ifosfamide, methotrexate, or XRT to liver, kidneys, flank, abdomen, TBI, or HSCT
- Hydronephrosis, dysfunctional voiding, vesicoureteral reflux
- Risk factors: cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, ≥30 Gy XRT to abdomen, flank, or pelvis
- Urinary incontinence or tract obstruction
- Risk factor: pelvic surgery
- Baseline: BUN/Cr, Na/K/Cl/CO2, Mg, Phos, Ca
- Annual UA and BP if at risk or after nephrectomy
Reproductive Toxicity
- Gonadal dysfunction: infertility, azoospermia, oligospermia, hypogonadism, delayed or arrested puberty, sexual dysfunction, early menopause
- Risk factors: spinal neurosurgery, orchiectomy, alkylating agents (busulfan, carmustine, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, lomustine, mechlorethamine, melphalan, procarbazine, thiotepa), carboplatin, cisplatin, dacarbazine, temozolomide, XRT to gonads, pelvis, abdomen, cranium, or TBI
- Assess Tanner stage yearly until mature.
- Males: Screen with FSH/LH/testosterone at 14 years or if symptomatic and semen analysis as requested.
- Females: Screen with FSH/LH/estradiol at 13 years or with delayed puberty/amenorrhea/irregular menses/estrogen deficiency symptoms.
Subsequent Neoplasms
- Increased risk varies by host factors, primary cancer therapy, and environmental exposures.
- The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study reported a 30-year cumulative incidence of 20.5%.
- The risk of subsequent neoplasms (SNs) remains elevated for more than 30 years following primary cancer diagnosis.
- Patients with genetic cancer predisposition syndromes are at increased risk of SNs.
- 80% of SNs are solid tumors and demonstrate a strong relationship with ionizing radiation.
- Blood cancer: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS)
- Risk factors: alkylating agents, anthracyclines, carboplatin, cisplatin, dacarbazine, temozolomide
- Topoisomerase II inhibitor-associated AML occurs 6 months to 3 years after exposure.
- Alkylating agent-associated t-MDS/AML occurs 3-5 years after exposure.
- Screen with annual complete blood count with differential for 10 years following treatment.
- Perform dermatologic exam for petechiae, purpura, and pallor at each visit.
- Bladder cancer
- Risk factors: cyclophosphamide, XRT to bladder, prostate, abdomen, pelvis, vagina, flank, inguinal region, or sacral/whole spine
- Obtain annual detailed voiding history.
- Bone cancer in any XRT field
- Perform annual inspection/palpation of the bones/soft tissues/skin in XRT field.
- Brain tumors
- Risk factors: XRT to cranium or TBI
- Perform annual neurologic exam.
- Breast cancer
- Risk factors: XRT to chest, lungs, mediastinum, axilla, mantle, or TBI
- Annual breast exam from puberty to age 25 years; after age 25 years, perform every 6 months
- ≥20 Gy XRT: annual mammogram and breast MRI beginning at age 25 or 8 years post XRT (whichever is last); 10-19 Gy XRT: consider testing
- Colorectal cancer
- Risk factors: ≥30 Gy XRT to spine, liver, kidneys, flank, abdomen, pelvis, or TBI
- Perform colonoscopy at age 35 years or 10 years after XRT (whichever is last), every 5 years.
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), start colonoscopy at 21 years; hereditary nonpolysis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), start at puberty
- Skin cancer
- Risk factors: any XRT
- Perform annual dermatologic exam in XRT field.
- Encourage monthly self-skin exams.
- Thyroid cancer
- Risk factors: XRT to cranium, neck, spine, supraclavicular, mediastinum, mantle, chest, lungs, or TBI
- Perform annual thyroid exam.
Treatment
Treatment depends on long-term effects; see previous discussion for organ system-specific follow-up care.
Ongoing Care
- Regular visits with primary care provider and oncologist or long-term follow-up program
- Dental exams and cleanings every 6 months
- Promptly assess signs or symptoms of SNs.
- Assess psychosocial functioning at each visit.
- Maintain health insurance coverage.
- Immunizations may require updates.
Alert
- Reimmunize after chemotherapy per oncologist and using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
- Psychosocial assessment of the patient should be performed at each clinic visit.
Additional Reading
- Armstrong GT, Liu Q, Yasui Y, et al. Late mortality among 5-year survivors of childhood cancer: a summary from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(14):2328-2338. [View Abstract]
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Immunization schedules. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/. Accessed February 5, 2015.
- Children's Oncology Group. Long-term follow-up guidelines for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers. http://www.survivorshipguidelines.org/. Accessed February 5, 2015.
- Oeffinger KC, Mertens AC, Sklar CA, et al. Chronic health conditions in adult survivors of childhood cancer. N Engl J Med. 2006;355(15):1572-1582. [View Abstract]
Codes
ICD09
- 909.5 Late effect of adverse effect of drug, medicinal or biological substance
- V10 Personal history of malignant neoplasm
- V87.41 Personal history of antineoplastic chemotherapy
- 909.2 Late effect of radiation
ICD10
- T88.7XXS Unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament, sequela
- Z85 Personal history of malignant neoplasm
- Z92.21 Personal history of antineoplastic chemotherapy
- Z92.3 Personal history of irradiation
SNOMED
- 423661009 Complication of chemotherapy
- 266987004 History of malignant neoplasm (situation)
- 161653008 history of - chemotherapy (situation)
- 212904005 Radiation therapy complication (disorder)
- 269191009 Late effect of medical and surgical care complication (disorder)
FAQ
- Q: Who is considered a cancer "survivor"?
- A: Anyone from time of cancer diagnosis until end of life. Many long-term follow-up clinics specialize in patients who are 2 years post cancer therapy.
- Q: Where can I find the latest long-term follow-up guidelines for childhood cancer survivors?
- A: http://www.survivorshipguidelines.org/