What late effects might people who were treated for childhood cancers experience?
If you underwent cancer treatment as a child, you may be at risk of many of the same late side effects of treatment as people who were adults during their cancer treatments. But you may also be at risk of additional late side effects. That’s because children’s bones, tissues and organs are growing rapidly during treatment, so cancer treatment can interfere during this critical time of growth. As with adult cancer survivors, late side effects in childhood cancer survivors will vary depending on the type of cancer and types of treatment. Additionally, the age at which you were treated also may determine what late side effects, if any, you might be at risk of. Some late side effects experienced by childhood cancer survivors include: • Heart problems, including an increased risk of heart attacks • Blood vessel problems, including an increased risk of stroke • Lung problems, which can cause difficulty breathing • Liver problems • Kidney problems • Bone problems, such as bone thinning (osteo
