Cardiovascular late effects following treatment for pediatric cancer are problematic. Early detection of subclinical changes is hardly possible using conventional diagnostic methods, but seems to be feasible during physical strain (exercise stress echocardiography).~This feasibility study examines as main objective the recruitment strategy and investigation method in 10-25-year olds in the first and fifth year after the end of acute anti-cancer therapy (n=40 participants with a history of childhood cancer and n=40 control subjects). The heart function is examined by means of exercise stress echocardiography and spiroergometry in comparison with healthy age- and gender-matched control subjects.~Secondary aims are the evaluation of aditional echocardiography markers and levels of physical activity.
This study aims at investigating the feasibility of recruitment and application of a method regarding early detection of subclinical changes in cardiac health after completion of acute cancer treatment during childhood and adolescence.