Pediatric Blood & Cancer recently published an article from UCSF School of Nursing, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS), Anne Lown, DPH, entitled “Psychosocial Follow-Up in Survivorship as a Standard of Care in Pediatric Oncology.” Dr. Lown notes that the burden of chronic health problems among childhood cancer survivors (CCS) is profound in both prevalence and severity. She also affirms that: “in the face of late medical health effects, some of which are not reversible, health care providers can still attend to the human cost of cancer by asking the patient about his or her experience and listening to the answer.”
The article highlights that CCS have a high risk of medical late effects following cancer therapy. And, those psychological late effects are less frequently recognized. Read the full article to learn more about the interdisciplinary team’s systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies to assess social, educational, vocational, psychological, and behavioral outcomes along with factors related to receipt of long-term follow-up care (LTFU). The team ultimately recommends that psychosocial screening be considered a standard of care in LTFU and that education be provided to promote the use of LTFU care starting early in treatment trajectory. Read more.
Photo Credit: © Stephan Babuljak
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