Institute Launches Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program
18 November 2025
The Cancer Institute has established India's first comprehensive childhood cancer survivorship program, designed to systematically monitor and manage the long-term health consequences of cancer treatment in paediatric patients. The program will enrol all childhood cancer survivors who are at least two years beyond completion of therapy, with an initial cohort of over 1,200 patients.
Participants will undergo annual risk-stratified screening for common late effects including cardiomyopathy, endocrine dysfunction, secondary malignancies, and neurocognitive impairment. The program also includes mental health support services and vocational rehabilitation for young adult survivors transitioning to independent life.
A research component will use prospective data collection and biobanking to identify genetic and treatment-related predictors of late effects, with the goal of informing future treatment protocols that maximise cure while minimising long-term harm.
Why This Matters
As childhood cancer cure rates improve, the population of survivors grows — and so does the need to address the lifelong health consequences of treatment received during critical developmental years.