ACE: Cancer Survivors

The ACE (After the Cancer Experience) program provides long-term monitoring for survivors of childhood cancer and health promotion. ACE is one of only a few programs in the United States that monitors patients for late effects into adulthood. ACE bridges medical care from childhood to adult life within a centralized medical system for expertise in clinical care, education/outreach and research.

Message from the ACE Medical Director

Eligibility requirements

• Diagnosed with childhood cancer or a disease requiring chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Have completed therapy for at least two years
• Disease-free

The ACE Program Brochure (PDF)

Who We Are

• The ACE program was started in 1989 at Children's Medical Center and is the oldest comprehensive cancer survivor program in the North Texas area.
• The expertise of the ACE team has been requested throughout the world as a model of programs and services to meet the needs of childhood cancer survivors.
• The ACE program enables seamless transition of pediatric cancer survivors to adult services via the ACE Young Adult Program at UT Southwestern in the Department of Internal Medicine.
• The ACE program is the only North Texas institution participating in the NCI-funded Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.
• The ACE team members conduct and participate in research studies about the unique problems and needs of childhood cancer survivors.
• Selected as one of 15 institutions worldwide to be in the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Cancer Control Consortium. This provides funding to support studies in late effects and cancer control.

What makes the ACE Program special?

• ACE provides ongoing monitoring for late effects of childhood cancer treatments.
• The ACE program provides each of our patients a detailed, individualized cancer treatment summary that is based on the treatment they received for their cancer. This summary helps survivors by outlining their treatment details and guiding future healthcare.
• The ACE computerized database provides a comprehensive resource to track the health status of more than 1,400 enrolled patients.
• ACE is one of the few established transitional programs for adult survivors of childhood cancer.
• ACE provides access to specialists to facilitate referrals, education about risk factors and health maintenance and routine screening for second malignancies.
• ACE uses a computerized educational program for patients called ACE Navigator.