Get to know Dr. Paul Nathan

Addressing the needs of childhood cancer survivors

Most children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer will survive. This means the number of childhood cancer survivors in Canada and around the world is growing. Unfortunately, many of the treatments we use to cure cancer can lead to long-term physical and mental health problems known as “late effects”. Childhood cancer survivors need lifelong follow-up care that is focused on their risks for late effects. This follow-up care will allow survivors to stay healthy and have the best quality of life possible. Our research team is focused on understanding these long-term risks and finding ways to make sure that all survivors receive the health care and other supports that they need.

Addressing the needs of adolescents and young adults with cancer

Adolescents and young adults (AYA; aged 15-39 years) are a particularly vulnerable group of cancer patients – their cancer outcomes have not improved as much as younger children and older adults. Our research program also uses Ontario’s health administrative databases and cancer registries to study outcomes in AYA with cancer from diagnosis through treatment to survivorship.

Get to know Dr. Paul Nathan

Dr. Paul Nathan, a Paediatric Oncologist at SickKids, shares the importance of research about the long-term outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer

Addressing the needs of childhood cancer survivors

Most children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer will survive. This means the number of childhood cancer survivors in Canada and around the world is growing. Unfortunately, many of the treatments we use to cure cancer can lead to long-term physical and mental health problems known as “late effects”. Childhood cancer survivors need lifelong follow-up care that is focused on their risks for late effects. This follow-up care will allow survivors to stay healthy and have the best quality of life possible. Our research team is focused on understanding these long-term risks and finding ways to make sure that all survivors receive the health care and other supports that they need.

Addressing the needs of adolescents and young adults with cancer

Adolescents and young adults (AYA; aged 15-39 years) are a particularly vulnerable group of cancer patients – their cancer outcomes have not improved as much as younger children and older adults. Our research program also uses Ontario’s health administrative databases and cancer registries to study outcomes in AYA with cancer from diagnosis through treatment to survivorship.

There are approximately 19,900 Ontarians previously diagnosed with cancer as children or adolescents as of January 2017. 25% of them are 0-19 years old, 40% are 20-39 years old and 35% are 40 years or older.

Source: Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario. Childhood Cancer in Ontario: The 2020 POGO Surveillance Report. Toronto: Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario; 2020. For more information about the burden of childhood cancer in Ontario, including statistics related to childhood cancer incidence, mortality, survival and prevalence, please see the POGO Surveillance Report.