Long-term effects of cancer therapy in children – organs, systems and tissues

Almost one in 700 young adults is a survivor of childhood malignancy, but about 60% of long-term survivors have at least one and 30–40% at least two chronic medical problems whilst 30% have a severe, life-threatening or disabling adverse effect. Such late adverse effects have a wide range of presentations and may lead to potentially far-reaching consequences, not only during the important period of childhood and adolescent growth and development but also during future adult life.The first part of this series of two reviews highlights some of the commoner and more serious late effects of treatment for childhood and adolescent malignancy by focussing on toxicity affecting specific organs, physiological systems and tissues, including the nervous, sensory, endocrine, reproductive, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary, urinary tract and musculoskeletal systems, as well as damage to the teeth and skin.