Alterations in treatment intensity and decreased use of radiation therapy have reduced the risk of late treatment-related death in long-term survivors of childhood cancer.
In the 1960s, fewer than ...half the children in whom cancer was diagnosed were still alive 5 years later.
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Now, more than 83% of patients with a childhood cancer in the United States become 5-year survivors of the disease.
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As a result, in 2013 it was estimated that there were more than 420,000 survivors of childhood cancer in the United States and that by the year 2020 this number would surpass 500,000.
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Increased success in the treatment of childhood cancers has been achieved through the systematic conduct of clinical trials to assess the efficacy of multimodal approaches involving combination chemotherapy, . . .
Treatment outcomes among survivors of cancer diagnosed during adolescence and early young adulthood have not been characterised independently of survivors of cancers diagnosed during childhood. We ...aimed to describe chronic health conditions and all-cause and cause-specific mortality among survivors of early-adolescent and young adult cancer.
The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) is a retrospective cohort study with longitudinal follow-up of 5-year survivors diagnosed with cancer before the age of 21 years at 27 academic institutions in the USA and Canada between 1970 and 1999. We evaluated outcomes among survivors of early-adolescent and young adult cancer (aged 15–20 years at diagnosis) and survivors diagnosed at age younger than 15 years (matched on primary cancer diagnosis, including leukaemia, lymphoma, CNS tumours, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumour, soft-tissue sarcomas, and bone cancer) by comparing both groups to siblings of the same age. Mortality was ascertained with the National Death Index. Chronic health conditions were classified with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated with age-specific, sex-specific, and calendar year-specific US rates. Cox proportional hazard models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for chronic health conditions and 95% CIs.
Among 5804 early-adolescent and young adult survivors (median age 42 years, IQR 34–50) the SMR compared to the general population for all-cause mortality was 5·9 (95% CI 5·5–6·2) and among 5804 childhood cancer survivors (median age 34 years; 27–42), it was 6·2 (5·8–6·6). Early-adolescent and young adult survivors had lower SMRs for death from health-related causes (ie, conditions that exclude recurrence or progression of the primary cancer and external causes, but include the late effects of cancer therapy) than did childhood cancer survivors (SMR 4·8 95% CI 4·4–5·1 vs 6·8 6·2–7·4), which was primarily evident more than 20 years after cancer diagnosis. Early-adolescent and young adult cancer survivors and childhood cancer survivors were both at greater risk of developing severe and disabling, life-threatening, or fatal (grade 3–5) health conditions than siblings of the same age (HR 4·2 95% CI 3·7–4·8 for early adolescent and young adult cancer survivors and 5·6 4·9–6·3 for childhood cancer survivors), and at increased risk of developing grade 3–5 cardiac (4·3 3·5–5·4 and 5·6 4·5–7·1), endocrine (3·9 2·9–5·1 and 6·4 5·1–8·0), and musculoskeletal conditions (6·5 3·9–11·1 and 8·0 4·6–14·0) when compared with siblings of the same age, although all these risks were lower for early-adolescent and young adult survivors than for childhood cancer survivors.
Early-adolescent and young adult cancer survivors had higher risks of mortality and severe and life threatening chronic health conditions than the general population. However, early-adolescent and young adult cancer survivors had lower non-recurrent, health-related SMRs and relative risks of developing grade 3–5 chronic health conditions than childhood cancer survivors, by comparison with siblings of the same age, which were most notable more than 20 years after their original cancer. These results highlight the need for long-term screening of both childhood and early-adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.
National Cancer Institute and American Lebanese-Syrian Associated Charities.
The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management ...challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors’ suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology , to patients seen in their own clinical practice.
The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) has assembled the largest cohort to date for assessment of late mortality. Vital status and cause of death of all patients eligible for participation in ...CCSS was determined using the National Death Index and death certificates to characterize the mortality experience of 20,483 survivors, representing 337,334 person-years of observation. A total of 2,821 deaths have occurred as of December 31, 2002. The overall cumulative mortality is 18.1% (95% CI, 17.3 to 18.9) at 30 years from diagnosis. With time, while all-cause mortality rates have been stable, the pattern of late death is changing. Mortality attributable to recurrence or progression of primary disease is decreasing, with increases in rates of mortality attributable to subsequent neoplasms (standardized mortality ratios SMR, 15.2; 95% CI, 13.9 to 16.6), cardiac death (SMR, 7.0; 95% CI, 5.9 to 8.2), and pulmonary death (SMR, 8.8; 95% CI, 6.8 to 11.2) largely due to treatment-related causes. In addition, the CCSS has identified specific treatment-related risk factors for late mortality. Radiotherapy (relative risk RR, 2.9; 95% CI, 2.1 to 4.2), alkylating agents (RR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.6 to 3.0), and epipodophyllotoxins (RR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.5) increase the risk of death due to subsequent malignancy. Cardiac radiation exposure (RR, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.0 to 5.5) and high dose of anthracycline exposure (RR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6 to 5.8) are associated with late cardiac death. By continued longitudinal follow-up of the cohort and expansion of the cohort to include patients diagnosed between 1987 and 1999, the CCSS will remain a primary resource for assessment of late mortality of survivors of childhood cancers.
Carbonyl reductases (CBRs) catalyze reduction of anthracyclines to cardiotoxic alcohol metabolites. Polymorphisms in CBR1 and CBR3 influence synthesis of these metabolites. We examined whether single ...nucleotide polymorphisms in CBR1 (CBR1 1096G>A) and/or CBR3 (CBR3 V244M) modified the dose-dependent risk of anthracycline-related cardiomyopathy in childhood cancer survivors.
One hundred seventy survivors with cardiomyopathy (patient cases) were compared with 317 survivors with no cardiomyopathy (controls; matched on cancer diagnosis, year of diagnosis, length of follow-up, and race/ethnicity) using conditional logistic regression techniques.
A dose-dependent association was observed between cumulative anthracycline exposure and cardiomyopathy risk (0 mg/m(2): reference; 1 to 100 mg/m(2): odds ratio OR, 1.65; 101 to 150 mg/m(2): OR, 3.85; 151 to 200 mg/m(2): OR, 3.69; 201 to 250 mg/m(2): OR, 7.23; 251 to 300 mg/m(2): OR, 23.47; > 300 mg/m(2): OR, 27.59; P(trend) < .001). Among individuals carrying the variant A allele (CBR1:GA/AA and/or CBR3:GA/AA), exposure to low- to moderate-dose anthracyclines (1 to 250 mg/m(2)) did not increase the risk of cardiomyopathy. Among individuals with CBR3 V244M homozygous G genotypes (CBR3:GG), exposure to low- to moderate-dose anthracyclines increased cardiomyopathy risk when compared with individuals with CBR3:GA/AA genotypes unexposed to anthracyclines (OR, 5.48; P = .003), as well as exposed to low- to moderate-dose anthracyclines (OR, 3.30; P = .006). High-dose anthracyclines (> 250 mg/m(2)) were associated with increased cardiomyopathy risk, irrespective of CBR genotype status.
This study demonstrates increased anthracycline-related cardiomyopathy risk at doses as low as 101 to 150 mg/m(2). Homozygosis for G allele in CBR3 contributes to increased cardiomyopathy risk associated with low- to moderate-dose anthracyclines, such that there seems to be no safe dose for patients homozygous for the CBR3 V244M G allele. These results suggest a need for targeted intervention for those at increased risk of cardiomyopathy.
Background The proportion of pediatric and adolescent cancer patients surviving 5 years has increased during the past four decades. This growing population of survivors remains at risk for disease- ...and treatment-associated late mortality. Methods A total of 20 483 five-year survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer diagnosed between January 1, 1970, and December 31, 1986, and enrolled in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) were included in a National Death Index search for deaths occurring between January 1, 1979, and December 31, 2002. Treatment information was abstracted from primary medical records. Survival probabilities, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs), and absolute excess risks were calculated for overall and cause-specific deaths. Diagnosis- and sex-specific survival probabilities were estimated by the product-limit method. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Among the CCSS cohort, 2821 (13.8%) 5-year survivors had died by the end of the follow-up period. The cause of death was obtained for 2534 individuals, with 57.5% of deaths attributed to recurrent disease. Estimated probability of survival 30 years from diagnosis was 82%. When compared with the US population, the absolute excess risk of death from any cause was 7.36 deaths per 1000 person-years. The overall SMR was 8.4 (95% confidence interval CI = 8.0 to 8.7). Increases in cause-specific mortality were seen for deaths due to subsequent malignancy (SMR = 15.2, 95% CI = 13.9 to 16.6) and cardiac (SMR = 7.0, 95% CI = 5.9 to 8.2), pulmonary (SMR = 8.8, 95% CI = 6.8 to 11.2), and other medical (SMR = 2.6, 95% CI = 2.3 to 3.0) causes. At 20 years of follow-up (25 years after first cancer diagnosis), the death rate due to a subsequent malignancy exceeded that due to all other causes. Conclusion Our extended follow-up of 5-year survivors of pediatric and adolescent cancer indicates that excess mortality persists long after diagnosis. Continued observation is needed to further define lifetime risk and to determine the potential contribution of chronic health conditions and modifiable health behaviors.
Risk-stratified therapy, which modifies treatment on the basis of clinical and biologic features, has improved 5-year overall survival of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to 90%, but its ...impact on long-term toxicity remains unknown.
We assessed all-cause and health-related late mortality (including late effects of cancer therapy), subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs), chronic health conditions, and neurocognitive outcomes among 6,148 survivors of childhood ALL (median age, 27.9 years; range, 5.9-61.9 years) diagnosed between 1970 and 1999. Therapy combinations and treatment intensity defined 6 groups: 1970s-like (70s), standard- or high-risk 1980s-like (80sSR, 80sHR) and 1990s-like (90sSR, 90sHR), and relapse/transplantation (R/BMT). Cumulative incidence, standardized mortality ratios, and standardized incidence ratios were compared between treatment groups and with the US population.
Overall, 20-year all-cause late mortality was 6.6% (95% CI, 6.0 to 7.1). Compared with 70s, 90sSR and 90sHR experienced lower health-related late mortality (rate ratio 95% CI: 90sSR, 0.2 0.1 to 0.4; 90sHR, 0.3 0.1 to 0.7), comparable to the US population (standardized mortality ratio 95% CI: 90sSR, 1.3 0.8 to 2.0; 90sHR, 1.7 0.7 to 3.5). Compared with 70s, 90sSR had a lower rate of SMN (rate ratio 95% CI, 0.3 0.1 to 0.6) that was not different from that of the US population (standardized incidence ratio 95% CI, 1.0 0.6 to 1.6). The 90sSR group had fewer severe chronic health conditions than the 70s (20-year cumulative incidence 95% CI, 11.0% 9.7% to 12.3%
22.5% 19.4% to 25.5%) and a lower prevalence of impaired memory (prevalence ratio 95% CI, 0.7 0.6 to 0.9) and task efficiency (0.5 0.4 to 0.7).
Risk-stratified therapy has reduced late morbidity and mortality among contemporary survivors of standard-risk ALL, represented by 90sSR. Health-related late mortality and SMN risks among 5-year survivors of contemporary, standard-risk childhood ALL are comparable to the general population.
To review the reports of subsequent neoplasms (SNs) in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) cohort that were made through January 1, 2006, and published before July 31, 2008, and to discuss the ...host-, disease-, and therapy-related risk factors associated with SNs.
SNs were ascertained by survivor self-reports and subsequently confirmed by pathology findings or medical record review. Cumulative incidence of SNs and standardized incidence ratios for second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) were calculated. The impact of host-, disease-, and therapy-related risk factors was evaluated by Poisson regression.
Among 14,358 cohort members, 730 reported 802 SMNs (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers). This represents a 2.3-fold increase in the number of SMNs over that reported in the first comprehensive analysis of SMNs in the CCSS cohort, which was done 7 years ago. In addition, 66 cases of meningioma and 1,007 cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer were diagnosed. The 30-year cumulative incidence of SMNs was 9.3% and that of nonmelanoma skin cancer was 6.9%. Risk of SNs remains elevated for more than 20 years of follow-up for all primary childhood cancer diagnoses. In multivariate analyses, risks differ by SN subtype, but include radiotherapy, age at diagnosis, sex, family history of cancer, and primary childhood cancer diagnosis. Female survivors whose primary childhood cancer diagnosis was Hodgkin's lymphoma or sarcoma and who received radiotherapy are at particularly increased risk. Analyses of risk associated with radiotherapy demonstrated different dose-response curves for specific SNs.
Childhood cancer survivors are at a substantial and increasing risk for SNs, including nonmelanoma skin cancer and meningiomas. Health care professionals should understand the magnitude of these risks to provide individuals with appropriate counseling and follow-up.
Therapeutic radiation in childhood cancer has decreased over time with a concomitant increase in chemotherapy. Limited data exist on chemotherapy-associated subsequent malignant neoplasm (SMN) risk.
...SMNs occurring > 5 years from diagnosis, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers, were evaluated in survivors diagnosed when they were < 21 years old, from 1970 to 1999 in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (median age at diagnosis, 7.0 years; median age at last follow-up, 31.8 years). Thirty-year SMN cumulative incidence and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated by treatment: chemotherapy-only (n = 7,448), chemotherapy plus radiation (n = 10,485), radiation only (n = 2,063), or neither (n = 2,158). Multivariable models were used to assess chemotherapy-associated SMN risk, including dose-response relationships.
Of 1,498 SMNs among 1,344 survivors, 229 occurred among 206 survivors treated with chemotherapy only. Thirty-year SMN cumulative incidence was 3.9%, 9.0%, 10.8%, and 3.4% for the chemotherapy-only, chemotherapy plus radiation, radiation-only, or neither-treatment groups, respectively. Chemotherapy-only survivors had a 2.8-fold increased SMN risk compared with the general population (95% CI, 2.5 to 3.2), with SIRs increased for subsequent leukemia/lymphoma (1.9; 95% CI, 1.3 to 2.7), breast cancer (4.6; 95% CI, 3.5 to 6.0), soft-tissue sarcoma (3.4; 95% CI, 1.9 to 5.7), thyroid cancer (3.8; 95% CI, 2.7 to 5.1), and melanoma (2.3; 95% CI, 1.5 to 3.5). SMN rate was associated with > 750 mg/m
platinum (relative rate RR 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 6.5), and a dose response was observed between alkylating agents and SMN rate (RR, 1.2/5,000 mg/m
; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.3). A linear dose response was also demonstrated between anthracyclines and breast cancer rate (RR, 1.3/100 mg/m
; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.6).
Childhood cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy only, particularly higher cumulative doses of platinum and alkylating agents, face increased SMN risk. Linear dose responses were seen between alkylating agents and SMN rates and between anthracyclines and breast cancer rates. Limiting cumulative doses and consideration of alternate chemotherapies may reduce SMN risk.
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