Aftercare

Abstract

Chapter 5 discusses care during and after radiotherapy for children and young people. During and immediately after treatment, children and young people receiving radiotherapy need monitoring for acute complications of treatment and may require supportive care. Following completion of treatment, a response assessment is needed, followed by ongoing surveillance for recurrence. If relapse occurs, consideration can be given to further treatment, which may be radical or palliative in intent. With the passing of time, the risks of relapse recede and monitoring for the late effects of treatment becomes more important. As the majority of patients will have some long-term sequelae, some of which can be ameliorated by timely intervention, patients should be followed in a multidisciplinary clinic. A detailed treatment summary will help predict the risk of complications and guide long-term follow-up. Patients, when they reach adult life, should be aware of possible problems, including fertility issues and second malignant neoplasms.