Unique needs of childhood cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic
- PDF / 170,399 Bytes
- 3 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 9 Downloads / 129 Views
EDITORIAL
Unique needs of childhood cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic Victoria J. Forster 1
&
Fiona Schulte 2
# Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global health pandemic that has caused significant morbidity and mortality for individuals worldwide [1]. Survivors of childhood cancer (CCS) may be especially vulnerable to both the physical and mental health impacts of COVID-19. Despite publications highlighting the unique risks for survivors of cancer amid COVID-19 [2, 3], little attention has focused on the specific needs of CCS. The aim of this commentary, therefore, is to highlight the unique physical and mental health needs of CCS to better inform healthcare professionals (HCPs) that may encounter CCS during the pandemic. The survival rate for pediatric cancer has increased by more than 30% over the last several decades, resulting in exponential growth in the number of survivors. Currently, an estimated 500,000 CCS live in North America. Although these numbers are encouraging, CCS are at risk of experiencing significant late effects, defined as health problems that occur months or years after completion of cancer therapy caused by the cancer itself or the cancer treatment (i.e., chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or hematopoietic stem cell transplant). Common late effects among CCS may include cardiac [4, 5] and pulmonary changes [5, 6], obesity-related health problems and endocrine dysfunction [7–9], and secondary malignant neoplasms [10]. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress [11] are also common. Ninety-five percent of CCS will be diagnosed with a chronic health condition by the age of 45; 80.5% will be diagnosed with a disabling or life-threatening condition [12].
* Fiona Schulte [email protected] 1
The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
2
Department of Oncology, Division of Psychosocial Oncology Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary and the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Canada
Many of these late effects have severe consequences that can lead to premature mortality [13]. As part of their treatment protocols, CCS are typically treated with regimens including cytotoxic chemotherapies causing immunosuppression, potentially leaving them vulnerable to COVID-19. Certainly, emerging studies have shown that cancer patients on current treatment can be at high risk of severe or fatal COVID-19 [14, 15] and that long-term survivors of hematological cancers appear especially vulnerable [16]. The long-term implications of immunosuppressive therapies and their interactions with COVID-19 have yet to be discerned. In addition, health conditions that have been linked to a more severe course of COVID-19 including cardiac issues, pulmonary disorders, obesity, and diabetes [17] are common late effects among CCS.
Data Loading...
