Delivering long-term follow-up care to pediatric cancer survivors: transitional care issues.

One of the major challenges faced by young adult survivors of childhood cancer is the transition from a specialized pediatric care facility to adult-based health care that provides appropriate follow-up. This review summarizes the issues regarding the necessity of this transition, including a brief history of follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. The general principles of transition care, as well as the barriers and obstacles specific to this population are outlined with the advantages and limitations of several models of transition care that could be considered.