Childhood cancer survivors at greater risk of new tumours

Scientists have discovered that people who have childhood cancer are at greater risk of tumours as they age.

The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, found that adult childhood cancer survivors have a ten per cent chance of facing the disease again.

As part of the research, 14,358 individuals who had survived cancer in childhood were assessed, with 1,382, just fewer than a tenth, developing new unrelated tumours.

Around 30 per cent of those survivors developed a third tumour, while four or more tumours were discovered in 153 survivors.

For 735 survivors, the second tumours were malignant and thus life-threatening.

Dr Gregory Armstrong, the study's principal investigator and an assistant member of the St. Jude Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, said that the findings highlight the need for greater cancer screening levels in survivors.

"Too often, survivors still are not getting these important cancer screening tests beginning as early or as often as recommended," he explained.