After treatment ends: psychosocial sequelae in pediatric cancer survivors

Fifty-two survivors of childhood cancer and their families were assessed by questionnaire and interview to determine survivors' psychosocial status two years or more after treatment. Most were functioning well and serious psychosocial problems were relatively rare. Communication patterns during treatment were most predictive of psychosocial outcome whereas indicators of medical severity were least predictive. The heterogeneity of effective coping styles, appropriate to varied personality types, was noted.