[Organizing survivorship: transition and long-term care for childhood cancer survivors].

BACKGROUND

Survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer have high long-term survival rates due to improved therapies but often suffer from complex late and long-term effects which should be diagnosed and treated early.

OBJECTIVE

Existing models of transition and long-term follow-up care for adult survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer in Germany are presented and perspectives for care and research in this field are outlined.

RESULTS

There is potential for improvement in the area of networking of the medical disciplines involved as well as in the involvement and education of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Nationwide harmonization and standardization of long-term follow-up care and transition is important to ensure that all childhood cancer survivors in Germany have access to care according to guideline recommendations.