Cancer in children

Cancer is a relatively unusual disease entity in children. However, its diagnosis often proves devastating for the families of afflicted youngsters. The types of cancer seen in children are very different from those found in adults. Primarily, they include leukemias, lymphomas and brain tumors. In most cases, the cause(s) of these cancers is unknown. Standard treatment modalities include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Treatment is generally provided by a multidisciplinary team which deals with attempts to eradicate cancer and provides support when there are complications of disease and treatment. The team also pays attention to the psychosocial needs of the child and the entire family unit. With recent improvements in cancer therapy, many children are now considered to be "cures." Treatment is tailored to the different subgroups of each disease entity in order to improve response. Research on the etiology of cancer and the treatment of patients with resistant disease is continuously being carried out by cooperative groups. Attention is being directed at the long-term complications occurring in the increasing number of children who have been cured of this still devastating disease.