Children's Oncology Group's 2013 blueprint for research: Survivorship and outcomes

Improvements in the treatment of childhood cancer have resulted in over 360,000 survivors of childhood cancer in the U.S. There is now a heightened recognition of the need to reduce treatment-related sequelae and optimize the quality of life of children treated for cancer. Survivorship studies conducted in the cooperative group setting have provided us with important information on long-term intellectual function, organ toxicity, reproductive outcomes, second cancers, late mortality, and disparities in outcomes. Ongoing health education initiatives have helped standardize the follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors and facilitate the early transfer of health-related information to patients, families, and healthcare providers.