Childhood cancer treatments can result in a host of chronic illnesses
The American Cancer Society states that between 1975 and 2010, childhood cancer mortality fell by a staggering 50 per cent. Today, of the roughly 600 childhood cancers diagnosed in Australia each year, 80 per cent can expect to survive, thanks to remarkable medical advances in diagnosis and treatment. However, the cure comes at a cost. The Children's Cancer Institute of Australia has found that one in 900 people between the ages of 16 and 45 is a cancer survivor, with up to 70 per cent of long-term survivors experiencing a host of chronic illnesses related to their original cancer treatment.