While short-term effects appear and subside, long-term side effects may not become apparent for months or years after treatment ends. Specific late effects depend on the age of the child, the dose of radiation, the part of the body treated with radiation, and the vulnerability of each child. When treatment is complete, you should be given a summary of your child’s care, including type of radiation, location, and dose. You also should be given a clear plan for all necessary follow-up care. More information is available in Chapter 26, End of Treatment and Beyond.

The effects of radiation on the heart, lungs, brain, bones, teeth, and fertility range from no late effects to severe, life-long impacts. Second tumors in the radiation field occasionally develop years after treatment. Detailed information about possible late effects are described in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Practical Guide to Your Future, 3rd edition by Nancy Keene, Wendy Hobbie, and Kathy Ruccione.

As I carried my unconscious son back to the waiting room after radiation treatment, a woman there stared intently. On impulse, I took the seat next to her. As I arranged Ben into a bear hug with my arms wrapped around him, she whispered to me, “I’m so jealous.” I was taken aback by the heat in her voice. She told me she was making these daily treks with her son, too. Only, he was 21 years old, and wouldn’t let her hold him or hug him. It broke her heart to see Ben and I wrapped up in ourselves in that unique mom-child world of clinging hugs, multiple kisses, and rubby-faces. Her son was a brave, valiant, independent young man, and she was proud of him. But what she really wanted to do was wrap herself around him, tuck his head under her chin, and make everything all better like she used to.