Children who have had cancer do not receive proper care when they grow up | Longevity Blog: how to use it

With better prognoses for the disease, children and adolescents with cancer have a greater chance of being cured – in rich countries, the survival rate over five years exceeds the 80% mark, while in Brazil it is 65%. The issue is that these young patients end up not being properly monitored over the years, despite having a greater risk of developing complications in adulthood as a result of the adverse effects of the treatment.

According to a study published by the scientific journal of the Canadian Medical Association, carried out with more than 3 thousand surviving children and adolescents, 99% had an increased risk of cardiomyopathy; 10% for colorectal cancer; and 7% for breast cancer. However, only 53%, 13% and 6%, respectively, followed the recommended follow-up.

Researchers believe that there is still a lack of information about the long-term negative impact of drugs used to combat the disease, despite guidelines that recommend periodic tests to check side effects. “It’s a situation that could have been avoided,” said scientist and epidemiologist Jennifer Shuldiner, co-author of the work.

The 3,241 patients evaluated had been diagnosed with cancer between 1984 and 2014. Of this total, 87% were at increased risk for at least one disease (cardiomyopathy, breast or colorectal cancer). Girls and young women who undergo radiotherapy have a risk similar to that of women with the BRCA 1 mutation, associated with aggressive triple-negative breast tumors. The chance of colorectal cancer is two to three times greater than that found in the rest of the population.

Every year, around 300,000 young patients, between zero and 19 years old, are diagnosed with cancer, the most common types being leukemia, lymphoma and tumors of the central nervous system. Complications arising from treatment are not limited to damage to the body. The experience is traumatizing across all age groups, but studies have shown how the impact is especially harsh on young people. Column which I wrote in 2023 shows that children and adolescents who overcome cancer are more susceptible to developing psychological disorders.

Children undergoing cancer treatment participate in ‘pet therapy’ at HRBA