Survivorship at Siteman Kids

How does Siteman Kids support childhood cancer survivors?

Every pediatric oncology patient seen at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital is supported through our Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program. The program addresses the impacts that life-saving treatments may cause in your child’s future. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery can cause delayed side effects called “late effects” that can begin long after a patient is cancer free. Late effects can happen with all cancer patients, but pediatric oncology patients are likely to develop late effects because the interventions they receive happened during their growth and development.  

The Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program begins for every pediatric patient two years after their therapy is complete. The program is designed to monitor and support survivors for the rest of their lives. Careful monitoring by our experts means if a patient develops a late effect, they get prompt intervention, education, guidance, and care specific to their symptoms. Early intervention can make a significant difference in any late effects that arise.   

How does the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program monitor survivors?  

Ongoing monitoring and screenings are helpful tools we use in our program. They promote early detection and prompt interventions. Catching a late effect at an early stage increases how well interventions can work. Our monitoring is tailored to your child’s specific risks. We create a personalized strategy based on a patient’s treatment journey to keep our expertise focused on what they are most likely to encounter.  

Collaborative care  

If any of the monitoring or screening indicates a need for care, your child can see one of our WashU Medicine specialists at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Some common specialties we collaborate with include cardiology, endocrinology, nephrology (kidneys), neurology, orthopedic surgery, or other specialties.   

Adults who are childhood cancer survivors transition their care to Siteman Cancer Center. When this transition occurs depends on the patient’s unique case.  

What are some common late effects that survivors experience?   

The treatments given to your child were essential for them to survive. But because interventions like chemotherapy and radiation are powerful and were given as their body was growing, these treatments can disrupt a child’s growth and development. Some common late effects could impact various systems like the musculoskeletal (muscles and bones), circulatory, respiratory, neurological, and reproductive systems. 

What happens if my child moves away from the St. Louis area?   

It isn’t uncommon to move away from your childhood home, and the Survivorship Program is based locally. In the case that your child chooses to move away from the St. Louis region, it will be important that their doctors have their medical records called a “treatment summary.”

The treatment summary also includes comprehensive information on the late effects that a patient is most likely to experience. Any new physician can use the detailed treatment summary to tailor an appropriate plan for monitoring with testing and other care.