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 The finding, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology
meeting in Chicago, is based on analysis of data from 23,600
participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study funded by the
National Institutes of Health.
Overall, severe health conditions arising within 15 years of
childhood cancer diagnosis fell to 8.8 percent of survivors in the
1990s, from 12.7 percent in the 1970s, the study found.
The findings show that childhood cancer survivors who were given
more modern treatment approaches, such as reduced exposure to
radiation and lower doses of chemotherapy, were faring better, said
Todd Gibson of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, who
led the study.
"Not only are more children being cured, but they also have lower
risk for developing serious health problems due to cancer treatments
later in life," he said in a statement.
The researchers focused on severe, disabling, life-threatening or
fatal health problems that occurred within 15 years of being
diagnosed with a pediatric cancer between 1970 and 1999.
The biggest declines in health problems related to treatment
occurred in survivors of Wilms' tumor, a rare kidney cancer. In this
group, serious complications fell to 5 percent of survivors in the
1990s, from a high of 13 percent in the 1970s.
IMPROVEMENTS
In survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma, latent complication
rates fell to 11 percent, from 18 percent in the 1970s. Improvements
were also seen for astrocytoma, the second most common childhood
cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood
cancer.
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There were no reductions in long-term side effects among survivors
of neuroblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, soft-tissue sarcoma and
osteoscarcoma.
The biggest improvements were seen with regards to endocrine
conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease or growth hormone
deficiency. The researchers saw endocrine problems fall to 1.6
percent for childhood cancer survivors surveyed in the 1990s,
compared with 4 percent in the 1970s.
The emergence of secondary cancers fell to 1.6 percent in the 1990s,
compared with 2.4 percent in the 1970s.
Gastrointestinal and neurological conditions also improved. But
there was no improvement in rates of heart or lung conditions, which
the researchers said served as a reminder of the need for close
follow-up in childhood cancer survivors.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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