Project lead ISMG: Prof. Dr. Enno Swart

Project member(s): Dr. Ekaterina Aleshchenko

Funding: other, 01.09.2020 - 31.08.2024

Fortunately, the chances of surviving cancer in children or adolescents have improved significantly over the past few decades. Today over 80 percent of affected children can be cured. Nonetheless, around two thirds of all survivors suffer from at least one long-term late-effect in the course of their lives, which can be a result of the disease itself or of the treatment. Long-term effects can occur shortly after therapy or many years later. In VersKiK, these are to be identified through safe data-linkage from German children's cancer registry with therapy information derived from statutory health insurance billing data (needs analysis). The same billing data will be used to research actual patient adherence to aftercare guidelines (analysis of the quality of care). In addition, the care needs of patients, relatives and healthcare providers are to be researched with the usage of qualitative methods (needs analysis). Based on the results, current aftercare concepts and care guidelines are to be revised with the participation of the GPOH (Society for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology) and with the involvement of affected patients and their relatives, in order to improve the care processes in the aftercare of those suffering from cancer in childhood or adolescence survivors. The project is funded with a total of approx. 2.3 million euros (duration.09.2020-29.02.2024).