[Evolution of methods of chemotherapy in solid tumors in the children]

First, chemotherapy was used to reduce metastatic tumours. Then, instead of a limited number of antimitotic agents, it permited to increase both the number of complete remissions and the survival ratio, mostly in embryonal tumours and lymphomas. The essential purpose of chemotherapy is to kill occult metastases. Combination chemotherapy using many agents with differing modes of action took place of monochemotherapy. In sophisticated schedules, drugs are given intermittently, to synchronizing treatment with the tumour doubling time and the recovery of normal rapidly dividing tissues. Unhappily, its use remains empiric, according to uncertainty about tumoral cell kinetic and modes of drugs action. Immediate toxicity of aggressive schedules prescribe to realize them in specialized pediatric centres. At last, in the future, it will not be enough to cure infantile cancer, but to allow children to live with less sequelae than to day.