Zorg voor overlevenden van kinderkanker in Nederland

Survival of childhood cancer has improved resulting in an increasing number of survivors who are at high risk of developing treatment-related health problems. The authors emphasize the need for specialized care for survivors of childhood cancer by describing three patients who all developed late effects of treatment. The first patient, a 32-year-old female, who had several late effects caused by treatment for nephroblastoma; the second a 39-year-old female, who developed breast cancer after thoracic irradiation for metastatic nephroblastoma; the third a 45-year-old female diagnosed with a meningioma caused by cranial irradiation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. In the Netherlands medical care for survivors is clustered at special outpatient clinics (in Dutch: Langetermijneffecten na kinderkanker (Long-term effects after childhood cancer; LATER)-outpatient clinics). In 2010 a guideline was published with recommendations for optimal follow-up and care for survivors of childhood cancer.