Study explores how surviving cancer as a child has lifelong effects on health

Nov 17, 2021

London (UK), Nov 17 (ANI): A new study by researchers at University College London has found that people who survive cancer early in their life have higher risks of ill health as they grow older, and these risks vary according to the cancer type and how the cancer was treated. Looking at treatment type, researchers found that the burden of late health effects was highest for people treated with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and lowest for cancer survivors who only had surgery. They also had an increased risk of getting cancer for the second time and developing more aggressive (metastatic) cancer. Combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy are effective at saving lives but are associated with a lower quality of life in the long term. Lower doses could reduce these long-term effects.