TriangleTREATMENT READING
Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer (PDQ®)
Choose a source section by treatment, subtype or setting. Patient and professional reading are labelled separately.
Selected text from the National Cancer Institute, with original links and dates. This Triangle reading page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Source topics may be broader than an individual diagnosis.
5 studies cited in this topic · see design and results →
Late effects are health problems that occur months or years after cancer treatment has ended.
People who have been treated for cancer need regular screening tests to check for a second cancer.
The kind of test used to screen for a second cancer depends in part on the kind of cancer treatment the survivors had in the past.
Heart and blood vessel late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation to the chest and certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of heart and blood vessel late effects.
Brain and spinal cord late effects are more likely to occur after treatment of brain tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Problems with the teeth and jaws are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation to the head and neck and certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of late effects to the teeth and jaws.
Digestive tract late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation to the bladder, prostate, or testicles and certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of digestive tract late effects.
Liver and bile duct late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Certain types of chemotherapy and radiation to the liver or bile ducts increase the risk of late effects.
Radiation therapy increases the risk of pancreatic late effects.
Thyroid late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation therapy to the head and neck increases the risk of thyroid late effects.
Neuroendocrine late effects may be caused after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Treatment that affects the hypothalamus or pituitary gland increases the risk of neuroendocrine system late effects.
Metabolic syndrome is more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation therapy increases the risk of metabolic syndrome.
Weight changes and frailty are late effects that are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation therapy increases the risk of weight changes and frailty.
Cancer treatments and surgery to remove the spleen increase the risk of immune system late effects.
Bone and joint late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and other treatments increase the risk of bone and joint late effects.
Radiation therapy
Surgery
Chemotherapy and other drug therapy
Stem cell transplant
Reproductive system late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Surgery, radiation therapy, and certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of late effects that affect the reproductive system.
Children of childhood cancer survivors are not affected by the parent's previous treatment for cancer.
Lung late effects are more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Certain types of chemotherapy and radiation to the lungs increase the risk of lung late effects.
Hearing problems are a late effect that is more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation therapy to the brain and certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of hearing loss.
Eye and vision problems are a late effect that is more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Radiation therapy to the brain or head increases the risk of eye problems or vision loss.
Kidney problems are a late effect that is more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of kidney late effects.
Bladder problems are a late effect that is more likely to occur after treatment for certain childhood cancers.
Surgery to the pelvic area and certain types of chemotherapy increase the risk of bladder late effects.
Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice