Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers

Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers

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http://www.survivorshipguidelines.org/pdf/LTFUGuidelines.pdf

The Children’s Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers were developed as a collaborative effort of the Nursing Discipline and the Late Effects Committee and are maintained and updated by the Children’s Oncology Group’s Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines Core Committee and its associated Task Forces. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide recommendations for screening and management of late effects that may potentially arise as a result of therapeutic exposures used during treatment for pediatric malignancies. These guidelines represent a statement of consensus from a panel of experts in the late effects of pediatric cancer treatment. The recommendations are based on a thorough review of the literature as well as the collective clinical experience of the task force members, panel of experts, and multidisciplinary review panel (including nurses, physicians, behavioral specialists and patient/parent advocates). Implementation of these guidelines is intended to increase awareness of potential late effects and to standardize and enhance follow-up care provided to survivors of pediatric malignancies throughout the lifespan.

The Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines were developed as a resource for clinicians who provide ongoing healthcare to survivors of pediatric malignancies. A basic knowledge of ongoing issues related to the long-term follow-up needs of this patient population is assumed. The screening recommendations in these guidelines are appropriate for asymptomatic survivors of childhood, adolescent, or young adult cancer presenting for routine exposure-based medical follow-up. More extensive evaluations are presumed, as clinically indicated, for survivors presenting with signs and symptoms suggesting illness or organ dysfunction.

The current version of these Guidelines is Version 3.0 – October 2008. As new information becomes available, the guidelines will be updated periodically to reflect those changes. We recommend that clinicians check this website periodically for the latest updates and revisions. Healthcare professionals who do not regularly care for survivors of pediatric malignancies are encouraged to consult with a pediatric oncology long-term follow-up center if any questions or concerns arise when reviewing or using these guidelines. These guidelines are not intended to replace clinical judgment or to exclude other reasonable alternative follow-up procedures. The Children’s Oncology Group recognizes that specific patient care decisions are the prerogative of the patient, family, and healthcare provider.

Although the information within the guidelines will certainly prove valuable to the survivors themselves, at this time the only version available is targeted to healthcare professionals. Therefore, survivors who choose to review these guidelines are strongly encouraged to do so with the assistance of a healthcare professional knowledgeable about long-term follow-up care for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers. This is important in order to put the recommendations in perspective, avoid over-testing, address potential anxieties, and provide a comprehensive evaluation of the survivor’s health status. The Children’s Oncology Group itself does not provide individualized treatment advice to patients or their families, and strongly recommends discussing this information with a qualified medical professional.

www.survivorshipguidelines.org