Introduction
When long-term complications from cancer treatment develop, you may feel angry and upset. Having had cancer was difficult enough; having side effects from cancer treatment isn't fair. Unfortunately, the reality is that as many as two-thirds of survivors of childhood cancer will have side effects. Most of these will be mild and many are easily controlled. Serious side effects are rare, but they can present a significant challenge if they occur.
Dental problems are more common in childhood cancer survivors than in children who have not been treated for cancer. Regular dental care is important to prevent or treat cavities, delayed tooth development, or other problems.
The following sections provide details on the possible late side effects caused by specific treatments. The impact of most, but not all, treatments is based on many things. Some late effects occur only if you were a certain age during treatment, others are more common in one sex and still others are simply based on the amount of radiation or drug taken. Some late effects are based on the combination of treatments, and some may be related to a health problem you already had or that your parents have. Look under the specific chemotherapy drug you took, the area where you had radiation, or both to get more information.
