Treatment advances have not improved long-term health status of childhood cancer survivors

The long-term health status of childhood cancer survivors is poor according to research published last fall in the Annals of Internal Medicine: 

"Because survival rates after a diagnosis of childhood cancer have improved substantially over the past 30 years, the population of survivors now includes those who would have died in earlier decades. Self-reported health status among survivors has not improved despite evolution of treatment designed to reduce toxicities."

According to a Nov. 7, 2016 press release from the American College of Physicians: 

"Treatment advances have not improved long-term health status of childhood cancer survivors."

"Despite an overall decline in radiation exposure, reduced mean chemotherapy doses, and decreased proportions of survivors with more severe chronic health conditions, patient-reported health status generally did not improve across treatment decade."

Primary funding for the research was provided by the National Cancer Institute.

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M16-0742

Study may explain vulnerability of young cancer patients to treatment toxicities

It is well documented that children who survive cancer are significantly more likely to suffer from negative late effects from treatment than are adults who are treated for and survive cancer.

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute say they have discovered a potential explanation for why brain and heart tissues in very young children are more sensitive to collateral damage from cancer treatment than older individuals.

Read more at http://www.dana-farber.org/Newsroom/News-Releases/new-study-potentially-explains-vulnerability-of-young-cancer-patients-to-treatment-toxicities.aspx.