Our expert doctors and staff specialize in caring for survivors just like you. At St. Jude, we give you follow-up care for years after your cancer treatment is done. We also help you learn about special health needs that you may have because of your past cancer or treatment.
Your St. Jude doctors will work with your local doctor to help you stay healthy. As a team, we will make sure your health care is just right for you.
What to Expect After Your Treatment
The first five years after treatment
You’ve finished your treatment, and all signs and symptoms of your cancer have disappeared (remission). What happens next? For the next five years, your St. Jude cancer care team will continue to offer you follow-up care. As time passes, more of your primary care will be provided by your local doctor. Together, we’ll work as a team to help you stay healthy.
Five to ten years since diagnosis
Once you have stayed cancer-free for at least two years after stopping therapy, and it has been at least five years since your diagnosis, you are eligible to transfer to our After Completion of Therapy (ACT) clinic. The ACT clinic is the largest long-term follow-up clinic for childhood cancer patients in the United States. You’ll visit the clinic each year until you turn 18, or until 10 years after your last cancer treatment, whichever comes later.
Learn More About the ACT Clinic
Graduation: Becoming a St. Jude alumnus
After you graduate from the ACT clinic, you can continue to receive help with health issues through our Alumnus Office. You may face higher health risks later in life as a result of your treatment, so it is critical to see your local doctor regularly. Our Alumnus Office offers resources and information to help you stay healthy.
At this time, you may also have a chance to learn more about your own health by taking part in the St. Jude LIFE research study.
Taking Part in Research Studies

By taking part in a St. Jude research study, you can learn more about your own health and may be able to help other childhood cancer survivors. St. Jude leads some of the world’s largest research studies on childhood cancer survivorship.
St. Jude LIFE Study
In this unique study, St. Jude graduates return to campus for hands-on health testing throughout their adult lives. Thousands of survivors are already taking part.
The details we learn may help you take care of special health needs resulting from your cancer and treatment. The study also helps doctors understand the best ways to care for patients and survivors around the world.
Long-Term Follow-Up Study
More than 35,000 childhood cancer survivors are part of a large research study led by St. Jude called the Long-Term Follow-Up (LTFU) Study. Survivors answer survey questions about their health, and have access to useful resources and educational materials.
The LTFU Study, also known as the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, is one of the world’s largest and longest-running studies of the long-term effects of cancer and its treatments.