*The story has been edited for clarity.
A study that was conducted by Stellenbosch University (SU) found that 91% of childhood cancer survivors in South Africa require long-term follow-up care due to post-treatment effects.
The study details that these effects could potentially have a negative impact on their ability to live a fulfilling life, and they need long-term follow-up care after they have completed their treatment.
“Many survivors of childhood cancer in the study developed mostly mild or moderate long-term and late effects, significantly associated with cancer diagnosis, the intensity of chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Some of these effects had a significant impact on survivors’ lives and required intervention,” said Dr. Anel van Zyl, a paediatric oncologist in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at SU.
Van Zyl said that this prevalence of late effects is quite high and since the survivors are still fairly young, we are expecting it to increase as they become older.
She further added that some of the barriers to long-term follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors in South Africa include a lack of formal training in and knowledge of such care among healthcare workers, as well as adequate communication about potential late effects with survivors.
Van Zyl said it is important for all healthcare professionals to be aware of these survivors’ significant risk for late effects and the types of late effects that may occur.
“Paediatricians training to become paediatric oncologists or haematologists should receive formal education about the late effects of childhood cancer and its treatment and how to conduct holistic long-term follow-up care.
"Doctors also need to be educated, as they will continue follow-up for the survivors as they get older," she said.
She also said that survivors with a lower risk for late effects will need fewer follow-up visits and investigations, while those with a high risk will receive more intensive follow-up and surveillance.
"Specific long-term follow-up care should facilitate early identification and intervention, hopefully leading to better quality of life and outcomes for survivors.
"Since it is challenging to retain childhood cancer survivors in a long-term follow-up care programme, such care should be provided as close to the survivors’ homes as possible.
"Therefore, we need healthcare professionals working in primary and secondary healthcare facilities and general practitioners to work with paediatric oncology units to care for this group of patients," Van Zyl said.
She further emphasised that there is an urgent need for funding of such a programme and education about late effects and the benefit of long-term follow-up care when cancer is first diagnosed.
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