Key Points for This Section

Ears Childhood cancer survivors may have late effects that affect hearing. Certain factors increase the risk that hearing loss will occur. Hearing late effects may be caused by treatment for certain childhood cancers. Eyes Childhood cancer survivors may have late effects that affect the eyes. Certain factors increase the risk that damage to the eye or eye socket will occur. Eye late effects may be caused by radiation treatments for certain childhood cancers.

Ears

Childhood cancer survivors may have late effects that affect hearing.

Certain factors increase the risk that hearing loss will occur.

The risk of hearing loss may be increased in childhood cancer survivors who received either of the following:

• Certain anticancer drugs, such as cisplatin or carboplatin.
• Radiation therapy to the brain.

Risk may also be increased in childhood cancer survivors who were young at the time of treatment (the younger the child, the greater the risk).

Hearing late effects may be caused by treatment for certain childhood cancers.

Treatment for these and other childhood cancers may cause hearing late effects:

• Central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
• Neuroblastoma.
• Head and neck cancers.

Eyes

Childhood cancer survivors may have late effects that affect the eyes.

Eye late effects may include the following:

• Bone growth problems around the eye socket that affect the shape of the child’s face as it grows.
• Dry eye.
• Cataracts.
• Damage to the optic nerve and retina.
• Poor vision.
• Drooping eyelids.
• Eyelid tumors.

Certain factors increase the risk that damage to the eye or eye socket will occur.

The following may increase the risk of damage to the eye or eye socket:

• Being younger than 1 year at the time of treatment.
• Tumor of the retina.

The risk may also be increased in childhood cancer survivors who had either of the following:

• An eye removed by surgery.
• Radiation therapy to the eye or eye socket.

Eye late effects may be caused by radiation treatments for certain childhood cancers.

Radiation therapy for these and other childhood cancers may cause eye late effects:

• Retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and other tumors of the eye.
• Central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
• Head and neck cancers.

Glossary Terms

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

A drug that is used to treat advanced ovarian cancer that has never been treated or symptoms of ovarian cancer that has come back after treatment with other anticancer drugs. It is also used together with other drugs to treat advanced, metastatic, or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer and is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Carboplatin is a form of the anticancer drug cisplatin and causes fewer side effects in patients. It attaches to DNA in cells and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of platinum compound. Also called Paraplatin.

A drug used to treat many types of cancer. Cisplatin contains the metal platinum. It kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA and stopping them from dividing. Cisplatin is a type of alkylating agent.

A tumor of the central nervous system (CNS), including brain stem glioma, craniopharyngioma, medulloblastoma, and meningioma. Also called central nervous system tumor.

Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.

Side effects of cancer treatment that appear months or years after treatment has ended. Late effects include physical and mental problems and second cancers.

Cancer that arises in immature nerve cells and affects mostly infants and children.

The nerve that carries messages from the retina to the brain.

The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Also called irradiation and radiotherapy.

Cancer that forms in the tissues of the retina (the light-sensitive layers of nerve tissue at the back of the eye). Retinoblastoma usually occurs in children younger than 5 years. It may be hereditary or nonhereditary (sporadic).

Cancer that forms in the soft tissues in a type of muscle called striated muscle. Rhabdomyosarcoma can occur anywhere in the body.

A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.

An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancer), or malignant (cancer). Also called neoplasm.