Late mortality and causes of death among 5-year survivors of childhood cancer diagnosed in the period 1960-1999 and registered in the Italian Off-Therapy Registry.

•Childhood cancer survivors have higher rates of death than their peers in the general population.•Late mortality after childhood cancer reduced steadily over the decades between 1960 and 1999.•Recurrence of the original cancer is the main cause of mortality in the first 15 years from diagnosis, but afterwards, other causes, primary second malignant tumours and cardiovascular events are the leading cause of death.