Your late effects
Childhood cancer is treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or surgery. These treatments can cause permanent damage to organs, tissues, or bones. These are called late effects. Sometimes, late effects are immediately apparent, for example, in the case of amputation. But many late effects only occur (much) later.
Whether you experience late effects depends on:
the type of cancer you had;
the age at which you received a particular treatment;
whether you underwent surgery and, if so, which one;
whether you received radiation therapy and, if so, at what dose and on which part of your body;
whether you received chemotherapy and, if so, which one and how much;
whether you received a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy;
There are also individual differences. Not everyone experiences late effects. What causes symptoms for one person may not cause any problems for another. It is important to keep this in mind every time you read the information.
Be aware
It is important to recognize problems early, whether they are physical, psychosocial, or educational. The sooner you act, the better. Treatment is often possible and/or further damage can be prevented. So, familiarize yourself with the possible late effects. If you have any doubts or symptoms, consult your doctor and respond to the invitations from the LATER clinic.
Late effects search enige
In the search engine below, you'll find so-called PLAIN summaries that provide information about late effects and recommendations for LATER care. These summaries contain information about health issues for you, but also for your other non-specialized healthcare providers, family members, and friends.