Your Health

Childhood Cancer Survivors Get Care For The Life Ahead

Posted: 9/7/2011

Most children who get cancer these days get well, doctors say. Now, they can also get help staying well.

(NAPSI)—Children with cancer and their families may be glad to get two bits of good news.

First, “due to the incredible success rates in treating pediatric patients,” reports Dr. Lillian Meacham, the vast majority “of children and young adults with cancer will survive the disease.”

Next, a crucial tool can help physicians, clinical staff and patient families ensure that childhood cancer survivors continue to have optimal health and quality of life.

The Problem

“About 80 percent of children and young adults with cancer survive,” explained Dr. Meacham, who serves as medical director of the Cancer Survivor Program at the Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

As a professor of pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine who also holds the Kathelen V. Amos Children’s Chair for Cancer Survivorship through The Aflac Foundation, Dr. Meacham explains that cancer survivors have a variety of needs due to late effects from treatment. These effects, which can occur at the time of treatment or years later, may include learning disabilities; vision and hearing problems; diseases of the heart, blood vessels and lungs; and growth and other complications.

An Answer

Cancer survivors need to be monitored and supported throughout their lives. A critical component is a Survivor Healthcare Plan, which should include:

1. a medical summary of the cancer diagnosis and treatment;

2. an individualized late-effects risk profile; and

3. a personal surveillance plan for the detection of late effects.

That’s where the SurvivorLink™ information technology system plays a role. Through this Web-based system, survivors can store electronic copies of their survivor plan and other key medical documents and invite all their health care providers to view them at www.cancersurvivorlink.org. Having all their doctors “on the same page” facilitates coordinated comprehensive care. The system also supplies access to educational materials to improve awareness and knowledge, national guidelines for survivorship care and other clinical information needed to provide long-term care.

SurvivorLink™ is part of the Cancer Survivor Program at the Aflac CancerCenter, which, in partnership with Emory University, aims to improve the health of children across the world.

Learn More

Visit www.aflaccancercenter.org or call (888) 785-1112 for more information.

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