Background: To assess health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in childhood cancer survivors who were not involved in regular long-term follow-up.Patients and methods: One hundred and twenty-three long-term survivors, median age 33 (19–50) years, follow-up 27 (9–38) years, were recalled to the long-term follow-up clinic. Most of them were treated in the period 1970–1990. Late effects were graded using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3 (CTCAEv3). HRQoL was assessed by RAND-36. Socio-economic factors were compared with data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).Results: Grade 1–2 late effects were found in 54% of the survivors, grade 3–4 in 39%, two or more late effects in 70% and grade 2–4 previously unknown late effects in 33%. Survivors had significantly lower scores on RAND-36 compared with controls.Conclusions: As nearly 40% of these long-term childhood cancer survivors suffer from moderate to severe late effects and 33% had previously unknown late effects it is worthwhile recalling these patients to follow-up. Where and by whom this follow-up can best be done is still a question that needs to be answered.