Presence and utility of electrocardiographic abnormalities in long-term childhood cancer survivors.

Background: We assessed the prevalence and diagnostic value of ECG abnormalities for cardiomyopathy surveillance in childhood cancer survivors.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1381 survivors (≥5 years) from the Dutch Childhood Cancer Survivor Study part 2 and 272 siblings underwent a long-term follow-up ECG and echocardiography. We compared ECG abnormality prevalences using the Minnesota Code between survivors and siblings, and within biplane left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) categories.

Cardiac Disease in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Risk Prediction, Prevention, and Surveillance: State-of-the-Art Review.

Cardiac diseases in the growing population of childhood cancer survivors are of major concern. Cardiotoxicity as a consequence of anthracyclines and chest radiotherapy continues to be relevant in the modern treatment era. Mitoxantrone has emerged as an important treatment-related risk factor and evidence on traditional cardiovascular risk factors in childhood cancer survivors is accumulating.

Increased risk of cardiac ischaemia in a pan-European cohort of 36 205 childhood cancer survivors: a PanCareSurFup study.

Objective: In this report, we determine the cumulative incidence of symptomatic cardiac ischaemia and its risk factors among European 5-year childhood cancer survivors (CCS) participating in the PanCareSurFup study.

Methods: Eight data providers (France, Hungary, Italy (two cohorts), the Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland and the UK) participating in PanCareSurFup ascertained and validated symptomatic cardiac events among their 36 205 eligible CCS. Data on symptomatic cardiac ischaemia were graded according to the Criteria for Adverse Events V.

Biomarkers to diagnose ventricular dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors: a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review the literature and assess the diagnostic value of biomarkers in detection of late-onset left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors (CCS) treated with anthracyclines.

Methods: We systematically searched the literature for studies that evaluated the use of biomarkers for detection of LV dysfunction in CCS treated with anthracyclines more than 1 year since childhood cancer diagnosis. LV dysfunction definitions were accepted as an ejection fraction <50% or <55% and/or a fractional shortening <28%, <29% or <30%.

Psychosocial development in survivors of childhood differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: The impact of childhood differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) on psychosocial development has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the achievement of psychosocial developmental milestones in long-term survivors of childhood DTC.

Design And Methods: Survivors of childhood DTC diagnosed between 1970 and 2013 were included.

[Care for survivors of childhood cancer in the Netherlands].

Survival of childhood cancer has improved resulting in an increasing number of survivors who are at high risk of developing treatment-related health problems. The authors emphasize the need for specialized care for survivors of childhood cancer by describing three patients who all developed late effects of treatment. The first patient, a 32-year-old female, who had several late effects caused by treatment for nephroblastoma; the second a 39-year-old female, who developed breast cancer after thoracic irradiation for metastatic nephroblastoma; the third a 45-year-old female diagnosed with a meningioma caused by cranial irradiation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Bone mineral density, growth, and thyroid function in long-term survivors of pediatric Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with chemotherapy only.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term side effects of treatment for childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma with chemotherapy only on growth, bone mineral density (BMD), body composition, and thyroid function.

Procedure: A total of 88 patients (56 male, 32 female; 17.6-42.

Prevalence of congenital heart defects in neuroblastoma patients: a cohort study and systematic review of literature.

Data on the prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHD) in neuroblastoma patients are inconsistent. If CHD are more common in neuroblastoma patients than in the general population, cardiac screening might be warranted. In this study we used echocardiography to determine the prevalence of CHD in a single centre cohort of surviving neuroblastoma patients.

The usefulness of growth hormone treatment for psychological status in young adult survivors of childhood leukaemia: an open-label study.

Background: To reduce the risk of brain damage children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) are nowadays mainly treated with intrathecal chemotherapy (ITC) instead of central nervous system (CNS) radiation therapy (CRT) to prevent CNS relapse. However, chemotherapy may also lead to cognitive deficits. As growth hormone deficiency (GHD) or impaired growth hormone secretion are frequently found in ALL patients treated with cranial radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, we hypothesized that GH therapy may reduce cognitive deficits in these patients.

Management of asymptomatic anthracycline-induced cardiac damage after treatment for childhood cancer: a postal survey among Dutch adult and pediatric cardiologists.

Asymptomatic anthracycline-induced cardiac damage (A-CD) is a serious problem among young childhood cancer survivors. The aim of this survey was to assess the current treatment policy in these patients in the Netherlands. A questionnaire was sent to all 136 departments of adult or pediatric cardiology in the Netherlands.