In recent decades, survival rates for childhood cancer have increased to more than 70 percent, thanks to improvements in treatment, according to the Health Care of Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Today, there are more than 270,000 childhood cancer survivors in the United States. However, as the population of young adult cancer survivors grows, researchers are discovering potential long-term health risks related to cancer therapy.

More than two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors experience at least one problem, or "late effect," as a result of their disease or treatment. Late effects are caused by the disease and its treatment, and can vary in severity. They may include secondary malignancies and problems associated with heart, endocrine, sensory or reproductive systems.

New research is showing that adolescents and young adult survivors (YAS) are largely unaware of their risks and follow-up care needs. They are also underrepresented in research studies and not well served by the health care system. For these and other reasons, adolescent and young adult cancer survival rates have not improved at all during the last 25 years despite dramatic improvements in survival rates for both children and adults. See .

YAS need specialized follow-up care that lasts a lifetime. This fact is little understood among survivors and many health professionals. See Long-term follow-up Guidelines from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) and the 2006 report Closing the Gap: Research and Care Imperatives for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer. Reseachers have identified other interrelated factors that have hampered progress in young adult cancer survival, such as:

	High numbers of young adults who lack medical insurance.
	Limited use of medical care because this age group tends to see itself as invulnerable.
	Delayed detection of cancer-related problems because providers do not suspect late effects.

As a health professional, you can do much to raise awareness among young adult survivors in your practice and in your communtiy. Learn more by reading the studies and being aware of resources. Educate survivors about their risks and encourage them to seek long-term follow-up care. Help plan an event in your community.