Improvements in cancer treatment have decreased the number of deaths from primary cancer. The number of late effects in childhood cancer survivors may increase with age, however, and survivors may not live as long as people who did not have cancer. The most common causes of death in childhood cancer survivors include the following:

• Relapse of the primary cancer.
• Second cancer.
• Heart damage.

Studies of the causes of late effects have led to changes in treatment. This has improved the quality of life for cancer survivors and helped to prevent deaths from late effects.

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