The current 5-year survival rate for cancer in infants is greater than 75% in developed countries. However, survivors of neonatal malignancies have an increased risk of late effects from their tumor or its treatment, which may lead to long-term morbidity and/or early mortality. This article reviews surgical approaches and chemotherapeutic agents commonly used in neonatal malignancies and their associated late effects. It also reviews the increased risk for late effects associated with radiation at a young age and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at a young age. It highlights the importance of survivor-specific multidisciplinary care in the long-term management of neonatal cancer survivors.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe current survivor services provided by COG institutions. Methods A 190-question online survey was distributed to 209 COG member institutions over a 5-month period in 2017. Descriptive statistics were used to describe survivor services and explore their changes between 2007 and 2017. Results Representatives from 153 (73%) institutions completed the survey. Of these, 96% of institutions reported that they provide pediatric cancer survivor care either in a specialized late effects program (75%) or a regular pediatric oncology clinic (24%). However, only 29.8% of institutions reported that > 75% of eligible patients were seen in a survivorship clinic. The most prevalent reported barriers to survivor care were lack of dedicated time (58%) and lack of funding for program development (41%). In 2017, 88% of institutions provided a treatment summary compared to 31% in 2007. Conclusion The majority of COG institutions have dedicated care for pediatric and young adult survivors of childhood cancer; however, at most institutions, < 75% of eligible patients access this care. Research into more efficient technology strategies is needed to ensure all survivors the opportunity to receive appropriate follow-up care. Implications for Cancer Survivors This survey provides a snapshot of the status of late effects services within COG institutions and provides information on residual gaps in services. Next steps should focus on the importance of attendance in a survivorship clinic on the physical health and psychosocial outcomes in cancer survivors.

Background Targeted anticancer therapies such as BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have improved outcomes for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph + ALL). However, little is known about long-term risks of TKIs in children. Exposure-based survivorship guidelines do not include TKIs, thus surveillance practices may be variable. Methods We retrospectively examined surveillance for cardiac and endocrine late effects in children receiving TKIs for Ph + leukemias, diagnosed at < 21 years between 2000 and 2018. Frequency of echocardiogram (ECHO), electrocardiogram (EKG), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and bone age testing were abstracted. Descriptive statistics were stratified by leukemia type. Results 66 patients (CML n = 44; Ph + ALL n = 22) met inclusion criteria. Among patients with CML, ≥1 evaluation was done: ECHO (50.0%), EKG (48.8%), TSH (43.9%), DXA (2.6%), bone age (7.4%). Among patients with Ph + ALL, ≥1 evaluation was done: ECHO (86.4%), EKG (68.2%), TSH (59.1%), DXA (63.6%), bone age (44.4%). Over a median 6.3 and 5.7 years of observation, respectively, 2% of patients with CML and 57% with Ph + ALL attended a survivorship clinic. Conclusions Despite common exposure to TKIs in survivors of Ph + leukemias, patterns of surveillance for late effects differed in CML and Ph + ALL, with the latter receiving more surveillance likely due to concomitant chemotherapy exposures. Targeted therapies such as TKIs are revolutionizing cancer treatment, but surveillance for late effects and referral to survivorship clinics are variable despite the chronicity of exposure. Evidence based guidelines and longer follow-up are needed.

Background: The effect of temporal changes in cancer therapy on health status among childhood cancer survivors has not been evaluated. Objective: To compare proportions of self-reported adverse health status outcomes among childhood cancer survivors across 3 decades. Design: Cross-sectional. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01120353) Setting: 27 North American institutions. Participants: 14 566 adults, who survived for 5 or more years after initial diagnosis (median age, 27 years; range, 18 to 48 years), treated from 1970 to 1999. Measurements: Patient report of poor general or mental health, functional impairment, activity limitation, or cancerrelated anxiety or pain was evaluated as a function of treatment decade, cancer treatment exposure, chronic health conditions, demographic characteristics, and health habits. Results: Despite reductions in late mortality and the proportions of survivors with severe, disabling, or life-threatening chronic health conditions (33.4% among those treated from 1970 to 1979 and 21.0% among those treated from 1990 to 1999), those reporting adverse health status did not decrease by treatment decade. Compared with survivors diagnosed in 1970 to 1979, those diagnosed in 1990 to 1999 were more likely to report poor general health (11.2% vs. 13.7%; Plt;0.001) and cancerrelated anxiety (13.3% vs. 15.0%; Plt;0.001). From 1970 to 1979 and 1990 to 1999, the proportions of survivors reporting adverse outcomes were higher (Plt;0.001) among those with leukemia (poor general health, 9.5% and 13.9%) and osteosarcoma (pain, 23.9% and 36.6%). Temporal changes in treatment exposures were not associated with changes in the proportions of survivors reporting adverse health status. Smoking, not meeting physical activity guidelines, and being either underweight or obese were associated with poor health status. Limitation: Considerable improvement in survival among children diagnosed with cancer in the 1990s compared with those diagnosed in the 1970s makes it difficult to definitively determine the effect of risk factors on later self-reported health status without considering their effect on mortality. Conclusion: 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.

Background: Although paediatric astrocytoma has an excellent 5-year survival rate, survivors remain at risk for morbidity and late mortality. This study aimed to estimate the risk of late mortality, chronic conditions, poor health status and social impairment in ageing paediatric astrocytoma survivors. Methods: We longitudinally evaluated 1182 5-year astrocytoma survivors diagnosed between 1970 and 1986 and 4023 siblings enrolled in a retrospective cohort study. Kaplan–Meier estimates of late mortality and cumulative incidence of serious chronic conditions were estimated. Cox regression models provided hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for development of chronic conditions, and generalised linear models provided relative risks (RRs) of the poor health status and social outcomes. Results: At 30 years from diagnosis, cumulative late mortality was 22.1% (CI 20.0–24.3%), primarily due to disease progression or recurrence. Compared with siblings, survivors were at increased risk of serious chronic conditions (HR 4.6, CI 3.8–5.5). Survivors reported higher rates of poor general health (RR 3.3, CI 2.8–3.8), poor mental health (RR 1.9, CI 1.7–2.1), functional impairment (RR 9.0, CI 7.7–10.5) and activity limitation (RR 3.6, CI 3.1–4.2) and lower rates of college graduation (RR 0.75, CI 0.69–0.82), marriage (RR 0.62, CI 0.58–0.66), employment (RR 0.75, CI 0.72–0.79) and household income ≥$40,000 (RR 0.68, CI 0.64–0.73). Even survivors without radiation exposure had elevated risk of chronic conditions, poor health status and social impairment compared with siblings. Conclusions: Survivors of paediatric astrocytoma are at high risk for long-term complications of their disease and its treatment. They require lifelong monitoring for late effects.