Search

The article focuses on investigating pregnancy outcomes in 230 female survivors of neuroblastoma from a Nordic register-based cohort study. Topics include the similar incidence of live births before age 30 between survivors and the general population, the decreased live birth rate by age 50 among survivors, and an increased risk of abortions among survivors compared to the general population, emphasizing the need for further research on recent cases' fertility outcomes.

BACKGROUND: During the past 4 decades, there has been a growing focus on preserving the fertility of patients with childhood cancer; however, no large studies have been conducted of live births across treatment decades during this period. Therefore, the authors estimated the potential birth deficit in female childhood cancer survivors and the probability of live births. METHODS: In total, 8886 women were identified in the 5 Nordic cancer registries in whom a childhood cancer had been diagnosed during 1954 through 2006. A population comparison cohort of 62,903 women was randomly selected from the central population registries matched by age and country. All women were followed for live births recorded in medical birth registries. The cumulative probability and the risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of a live birth were calculated by maternal age across treatment decades. RESULTS: The probability of a live birth increased with treatment decade, and, at age 30 years, the rate for survivors most recently diagnosed was close to the rate among the general population (1954‐1969: RR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.54‐0.78]; 1970s: RR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.60‐0.74]; 1980s: RR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.64‐0.74]; 1990s: RR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.87‐0.95]; 2000s: RR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.91‐0.97]). CONCLUSIONS: Female childhood cancer survivors had a lower probability of a live birth than women in the general population, although, in survivors diagnosed after 1989, the probability was close to that of the general population. Because the pattern of live births differs by cancer type, continuous efforts must be made to preserve fertility, counsel survivors, and refer them rapidly to fertility treatment if necessary. LAY SUMMARY: The purpose of this study was to compare the probability of giving birth to a liveborn child in female survivors of childhood cancer with that of women in the general population.Survivors of childhood cancer had a lower probability of live births than women in the general population, although survivors diagnosed after 1989 had a probability close to that of the general population.Continuing focus on how to preserve the potential for fertility among female patients with childhood cancer during treatment is important to increase their chances of having a child. Female childhood cancer survivors have a lower probability of live birth than women in the general population. However, female survivors treated more recently in the 1990s and 2000s have a probability close to that of the female background population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperthyroidism is a rare disorder which may negatively affect health and quality of life. Its occurrence in childhood cancer survivors has not previously been investigated in detail. Material and methods: In the hospital registers of the five Nordic countries, 32,944 childhood cancer survivors and 212,675 population comparisons were followed for the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Hospitalisation rates, standardised hospitalisation rate ratios and absolute excess risks were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed in 131 childhood cancer survivors, yielding an overall relative risk of 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3-1.9) compared with population comparisons. The risk was greatest 1-5 years after the diagnosis of cancer and in survivors of thyroid cancers, neuroblastomas, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and Hodgkin lymphoma. Sixty-seven percent of survivors with hyperthyroidism had tumours located in the head, neck or upper body and half of survivors with hyperthyroidism were irradiated with 77% of them in the head and neck area. Conclusion: Childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk of hyperthyroidism, potentially resulting in non-endocrine morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]