Surveillance and screening for new cancers in adult survivors of childhood cancer

Presented by: Paul Nathan, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Staff Oncologist, Haematology/Oncology - SickKids
Associate Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute
Assistant Professor, Paediatrics and Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto

Over 80% of children diagnosed with cancer will become long-term survivors. Many survivors are at risk for developing serious late effects as a result of their cancer therapy. Almost 10% will develop another new cancer from their initial diagnosis (a "second malignant neoplasm") by the time they are 30 years. This presentation will review the risk of developing a second malignant neoplasm in childhood cancer survivors, and report on research looking at how well survivors comply with the recommended surveillance and screening practices for detecting new cancers early in their course.

Dr. Paul Nathan is paediatric haematologist/oncologist at The Hospital for Sick Children. He completed his paediatric haematology/oncology training at SickKids and then obtained a master's degree in Health Research Methodology from McMaster University. Subsequently he spent a year in the Pediatric Oncology Branch at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland. He joined the staff of SickKids in 2004. His research and clinical practice is focused on cancer survivorship. He is a staff physician in the hospital’s aftercare clinic for survivors of childhood cancer, and he conducts clinical research into the issues faced by these survivors, including, their use of health care resources. He is a member of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer’s (CPAC) National Survivorship Working Group.

This event is an accredited group learning activity as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada