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Background:Transitioning from active cancer treatment to survivorship represents a vulnerable yet underresearched phase for adolescents and their families. Knowledge of their support needs, the challenges they experience, and how they manage them are useful to inform tailored follow-up care. Thus, we aimed to explore their transition experiences. Method:We interviewed 15 adolescents (12–19 years) who had transitioned off of treatment 1 to 47 months prior at Oslo University Hospital’s Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology and their biological parents (n= 16). The interviews were analyzed using inductive, reflexive thematic analysis inspired by Braun and Clarke. NVivo-12 was used for data management. Results:Four main themes were identified: (a) consequences of cancer beyond transition, (b) transition back to normalcy, (c) survivorship competence, and (d) changes in roles and relationships. The families described happiness and relief but also said that the lingering effects of cancer treatment had a profound impact on day-to-day living. The adolescents expressed closeness with and dependency on their parents, and they perceived family and friends as essential for social readjustment. Discussion:Although adolescent survivors and their parents described a wide variety of strategies for returning to “normalcy,” their perspectives also illustrate ongoing psychosocial and educational support needs that changed over time. Our findings indicate a need for improved preparation for and support through the transition. Nurses are well positioned to provide continuous and structured transition support tailored to the needs of the individual survivors and their families.

Purpose:Treatment-related sexual problems are common, but understudied, among survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Survivors (CAYACS). We investigated awareness of, and information needs regarding, sexual problems as late effects in a nation-wide sample of long-term CAYACS.Methods:Five-year survivors were identified by the Cancer Registry of Norway, diagnosed between 1985 and 2009 with any childhood cancer (0–18 years of age, excluding central nervous system tumors), leukemia, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or malignant melanoma (19–39 years of age). Malignant melanoma survivors treated with local surgery only served as an unmatched reference group. Survivors were mailed a survey, including items on awareness and information needs. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used for data analyses.Results:Of 5361 CAYACS invited, 2104 responded (39%), of which 1870 were eligible for inclusion. In all, 62% were aware of sexual problems as late effects (46% aware only, 16% experienced it) and 31% reported information needs. Of all groups, childhood cancer survivors reported the lowest level of awareness (43% aware, 7% experienced it) and the highest information needs (38%). In multivariable models, awareness was associated with higher education, shorter time since treatment, more intense treatments, and experiencing hormonal changes and reduced fertility. Information needs were associated with having experienced sexual problems, female gender, higher treatment intensity, chronic fatigue, and increased depressive symptoms.Conclusions:A substantial proportion of long-term CAYACS report being unaware of, and have information needs regarding sexual problems as late effects decades beyond treatment. Addressing such issues during follow-up care is important.