Survivorship care plans linked to better long-term outcomes for childhood cancer survivors

Thanks to advances in treatment, more children are surviving cancer than ever before — with nearly 580,000 childhood cancer survivors expected to live in the U.S. by 2040. But life after treatment can bring new challenges. Many survivors face higher risks of long-term physical and emotional health problems, additional cancers, and early death.

New research led by researchers at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) highlights how structured, ongoing survivorship care can make a life-saving difference. The study found that childhood cancer survivors who received a Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) — a personalized record of their treatment history and future care recommendations — had significantly better 10-year survival rates than those who did not.

SCPs were designed to help survivors and their healthcare providers stay on top of follow-up care and watch for late effects. In recent years, national guidelines have questioned their usefulness due to limited evidence. This study provides the strongest proof yet that SCPs, when paired with regular follow-up through a survivorship program, improve long-term survival.

Researchers reviewed data from more than 3,300 childhood cancer survivors treated between 2002 and 2016. Survivors who received an SCP through CHOA’s multidisciplinary survivorship program were 38% less likely to die within 10 years compared with those who didn’t. Continued engagement in follow-up visits provided even greater benefits.

The study also revealed disparities: older adolescents and young adults, as well as Black survivors and those with brain or solid tumors, were less likely to receive SCPs. These findings point to the need for equitable access to survivorship care and stronger efforts to keep survivors connected to their care teams.

In Nevada, where survivors may live far from major cancer centers, coordinated survivorship care is especially important. Tools like SCPs help bridge that gap by ensuring every survivor — no matter where they live — has a clear plan for follow-up, health monitoring, and access to support services.

This research reinforces what survivorship programs across the country have seen firsthand: when survivors stay engaged in long-term care, they live longer and healthier lives.

Read the full study here.