Completing cancer treatment can bring a range of emotions for pediatric patients and their families. While they may be relieved to finish chemotherapy or radiation, there is often anxiety about relapse, returning to “normal life,” or how to handle side effects that occur years down the road.
“Finishing treatment can be a very scary time,” says Lisa Diller, MD, chief medical officer of the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. “There is something about regular clinic visits that is very reassuring. When families don’t have to return for a couple of months, they can sometimes feel anxious knowing they will not have that regular check-in.”
Diller, who is also the founder/director of the David B. Perini Jr., Quality of Life Clinic, discussed some of these concerns during a live webchat on life after childhood cancer treatment. She also talked about some of the late effects of treatment, including fertility and growth, as well as the latest research in childhood cancer survivorship.
View a video of the February 12 webchat below. For more information on childhood cancer treatment and survivorship, visit the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s website.