Pulmonologists and researchers from around the world gathered at the 2024 European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna to discuss the latest advances in respiratory medicine and science. Maria Otth, MD PhD, presented the new recommendations for pulmonary surveillance of childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors from the International Guideline Harmonization Group (IGHG). This keynote speech took place during the session titled “Non-infectious pulmonary complications of childhood cancers: from theory to practice,” capturing the attention of the international respiratory community.
Led by Prof. Claudia Kuehni and her team at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), these recommendations were an international collaboration focused on addressing the long-term pulmonary health of CAYA cancer survivors. The recommendations aim to standardize follow-up practices for those who have undergone cancer treatments, but also highlight the lack of robust evidence due to small study sizes and high risk of bias, emphasizing the need for more high-quality research. They mark an important step forward in summarizing existing knowledge and improving the long-term care of cancer survivors, providing a foundation for future updates as new research emerges.