In cancer's aftermath, helping survivors confront "late effects"
![In cancer's aftermath, helping survivors confront "late effects"](/medicine/peds/../../mix/media/k2/items/cache/e2acd849d365015ef08ef5b696dc9e31_L.jpg)
Often, these health problems can be linked back to cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation and even surgeries, Bhatia said. Because these complications can occur “many years after the completion of treatment,” they are called “late effects.” One example involves a particular class of chemotherapy drug known as anthracyclines. “We use these agents often because they are highly effective in a large variety of cancers,” Bhatia said. But research shows that patients who take these drugs have a high risk of developing congestive heart failure many years later.
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