Surveillance after childhood cancer: are survivors with an increased risk for cardiomyopathy regularly followed-up?

Background We aimed to study adherence to cardiac screening in long-term childhood cancer survivors (CCS) at high risk of cardiomyopathy. Methods This study involved 976 5-year CCS at high risk for cardiomyopathy from the French Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Determinants of adherence to recommended surveillance were studied using multivariable logistic regression models. Association of attendance to a long-term follow-up (LTFU) visit with completion of an echocardiogram was estimated using a Cox regression model. Results Among participants, 32% had an echocardiogram within the 5 previous years. Males (adjusted RR [aRR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.58–0.86), survivors aged 36–49 (aRR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64–0.98), Neuroblastoma (aRR 0.53, 95% CI 0.30–0.91) and CNS tumour survivors (aRR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21–0.89) were less likely to adhere to recommended surveillance. Attendance to an LTFU visit was associated with completion of an echocardiogram in patients who were not previously adherent to recommendations (HR 8.20, 95% CI 5.64–11.93). Conclusions The majority of long-term survivors at high risk of cardiomyopathy did not adhere to the recommended surveillance. Attendance to an LTFU visit greatly enhanced the completion of echocardiograms, but further interventions need to be developed to reach more survivors.