[Organizing survivorship: transition and long-term care for childhood cancer survivors].

Abstract

Background: Survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer have high long-term survival rates due to improved therapies but often suffer from complex late and long-term effects which should be diagnosed and treated early.

Objective: Existing models of transition and long-term follow-up care for adult survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer in Germany are presented and perspectives for care and research in this field are outlined.

Results: There is potential for improvement in the area of networking of the medical disciplines involved as well as in the involvement and education of patients.

Conclusions: Nationwide harmonization and standardization of long-term follow-up care and transition is important to ensure that all childhood cancer survivors in Germany have access to care according to guideline recommendations.