Long-term follow-up care is a specialized risk-based approach designed to address the ongoing medical and psychosocial needs of patients formerly treated for cancer.  

The University of Minnesota’s Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic was created in 2005 to:
1) Provide risk-based clinical care and screening for cancer survivors,
2) Improve survivorship research,
3) Educate survivors and the medical community, and
4) Become a community resource for cancer survivorship.  

Survivors undergo an annual clinical assessment and receive a detailed treatment summary of their prior therapy.  Each patient is offered enrollment in the clinical database and has the option of participating in ongoing research into the late effects of cancer therapy.  All are provided with educational materials specific to their treatment and summaries are sent to each survivor and their primary physician to assist with ongoing health care needs. 

Over 200 patients have been evaluated since the clinic opened. 

• 8 years - mean age at diagnosis (range: 0-23)
• 24 years - mean age at initial visit (range: 6-60)

Diagnoses include

• Leukemia (37%),
• Brain tumors (14%),
• Bone tumors (14%),
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma (12%),
• Rhabdomyosarcoma (8%),
• Non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (4%),
• Wilma tumor (4%),
• Retinoblastoma (4%),
• Hepatoblastoma (1%)

The most frequent organ systems affected include the endocrine, cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems.

All patients receive a brief assessment from a neuropsychologist and social worker, with referral for further evaluation if necessary.  Therapeutic advances are contributing to a growing number of adults formally treated for childhood cancer. 

Treatment related sequelae continue to occur and long-term follow-up is an important component of quality health care for these individuals.  

For more information, contact: Daniel Mulrooney, MD, MS
Phone: 612-626-2778
Email: mulro006@umn.edu

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Rev 05-24-07