With childhood cancer survival rates approaching 80% the need for long-term follow-up care is important to monitor for late effects of therapy and help survivors maintain quality of life. 

Optimal long-term healthcare by any clinician who treats survivors is improved through the use of a Survivor Healthcare Plan.  A Survivor Healthcare Plan (SHP) is a long-term follow-up plan based on national guidelines and tailored to the survivor’s individual cancer treatment with the following sections: 
          

Survivor Healthcare Plan (SHP)

1. Treatment Summary including information on:

                        Cancer Diagnosis

                        Chemotherapy – Agents and Doses

                        Radiation Therapy– Body Sites and Doses

                        Surgery

                        Bone Marrow Transplant

    2.  Individualized Late Effects Risk Profile

    3.  Individualized Surveillance Plan for Late Effects

If your patient does not have a SHP, please refer him/her to the appropriate survivor clinic.

All survivors need: 

• Ongoing surveillance for late effects as outlined in the SHP 
• Psychosocial assessment and support including monitoring for:
• Mental health disorders
• Risky behaviors
• Fatigue
• Psychosocial disability due to pain
• Consistent health insurance
• Health maintenance monitoring
  • Healthy diet
  • Routine exercise
  • Dental exam every 6 months

For recommendations on how to screen for all potential late effects, please refer to The Children’s Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines.

Health Links - Teaching Handouts from The Children's Oncology Group  

• Introduction to Long-term Follow-up
• Emotional Issues
• Finding and Paying for Healthcare
• Diet and Physical Activity

Visit http://www.survivorshipguidelines.org/ to find many of the Health Links translated into other languages.

Continuing Education Modules

• SurvivorCare 101 Text Module

Reference:

Children’s Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers, and related Health Links Version 4.0. October, 2013. www.survivorshipguidelines.org.