[Monitoring anticancerous and antileukemic chemotherapy in children]

Chemotherapy is essential for the treatment of malignant diseases in childhood. Monitoring a child on chemotherapy includes: 1) looking for evidences of relapse or metastases; 2) if necessary, adjusting doses according to blood counts; 3) preventing and treating intercurrent infections, which are mostly viral, once the initial regimen is completed; 4) diagnosing and, if possible, treating, harmful side-effects, which cannot always be precluded; 5) helping both patient and family to live a normal life; in this respect, normal school attendance is of particular significance.