Claudia E Kuehni, Prof.

The SCCSS is designed to investigate which long-term effects childhood cancer and its treatment have on survivors, and includes those who were under 20 years when they were diagnosed. The SCCSS explores childhood cancer survivors' quality of life, the health care received by childhood cancer survivors during follow-up care, the effects of medication, somatic and psychosocial health issues, how childhood cancer survivors take care of their own health, and also collects demographic details like family background, education and profession. To learn more about these topics, the investigators send questionnaires to childhood or adolescent cancer survivors. The investigators use the results to inform physicians and patients, and to improve treatment of childhood cancer and follow-up.

Background: Therapies have improved so much in the past decades that more than 80% of children and adolescents now survive cancer. This means that the population of long-term childhood cancer survivors is growing. Since cancer and its treatments may later have adverse effects, it is important to track and improve survivor health and quality of life. Comprehensive data on the burden of late effects of childhood cancer or risk factors for late effects was not available, and so Switzerland set up the SCCSS to increase knowledge and improve the quality of care and follow-up.

Objectives: The SCCSS investigates long-term outcomes of survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer, and the incidence and spectrum of various somatic and psychosocial outcomes including late mortality, second primary malignancies, somatic health and medication, mental health, educational achievements, health-related quality of life, and the association of these outcomes with risk factors like tumor, treatment modalities, and demographic characteristics. The SCCSS also investigates how health-care is provided, and how long-term childhood cancer survivors take care of their health.

Methods: All Swiss residents who were diagnosed with cancer at age \<20 years, have survived at least 5 years since cancer diagnosis, received a detailed questionnaire. The investigators added data from general practitioners and hospital records. To compare survivors with the general population, they also send the questionnaire to the siblings of childhood cancer survivors.

Rationale and significance: The data collected by the SCCSS allows the investigators to study long-term outcomes of Swiss childhood cancer survivors. The SCCSS helps to learn more about the incidence of late effects and their risk factors. It also allows to summarize the current state of care in Switzerland. Since early diagnosis can prevent or mitigate many late effects, tracking them will help to improve the health of current and future childhood cancer survivors.

Current status of the project: From 2008-2023, the investigators have contacted 5949 childhood cancer survivors diagnosed between 1976-2015 and 2062 of their siblings. The investigators contact new 5-year childhood cancer survivors at regular intervals, and continuously analyse and publish data and findings. By 2022, the investigators have contacted 3443 childhood cancer survivors for a follow-up questionnaire and will continue with this at regular intervals.

Funding: Swiss Cancer League/ Swiss Cancer Research (Grant No: KLS/KFS-4825-01-2019), Stiftung für krebskranke Kinder (Regio basiliensis) and Kinderkrebshilfe Schweiz.

Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (SCCSS)

Incidence and spectrum of various somatic and psychosocial outcomes including describing the cause-specific long-term mortality, the number of patients with second primary malignancies and somatic health effects, and describe medication use, mental health status, educational achievements, and health-related quality of life of childhood cancer survivors as assessed by questionnaires and data from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry.

Association of long-term outcomes with risk factors like tumour, treatment modalities, and demographic characteristics as assessed by questionnaires and data from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry.

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for swiss childhood cancer registry