Cancer is rare in children, but can happen. Cancers in the children
require special expertise and infrastructure to treat. The doctors
and other health professionals at our centre have special training
and expertise to give complete care to these children. We have a
dedicated Pediatric Oncology ward with play area for treating
pediatric cancers.
Most common cancers in children are Blood
cancers ( leukemias - ALL/ AML), Brain tumors, Lymphomas and
various others ( liver , kidney cancers, sarcomas etc).
The main
goal when treating kids with cancer is to cure them. This takes
priority over everything else even if it means unwanted side
effects as a result of treatment. Presently there are many
medicines and therapies that can make kids more comfortable while
undergoing treatment for cancer.
The types of treatment that a child with cancer receives will
depend on the type of cancer and how advanced the cancer is
(Stage). Common treatments include: surgery, chemotherapy,
radiation therapy, immunotherapy and stem cell transplant
Most of
the pediatric treatment protocols ( leukemia/lymphoma/sarcoma) are
of long duration (4-12 months). Majority of these malignancies are
highly curable. Children tolerate the chemotherapy sessions very
well.
Diagnosis of a child with cancer is a devastating scenario for any parent. Parents undergo enormous stress and anxiety during the treatment of their child and after completion of treatment too. Adjusting to diagnosis of cancer is very difficult for every member of family- parents and siblings of child. We have a team of dedicated compassionate empathetic social workers, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists to help the family.
After the completion of the cancer treatment, children are followed
up at specific intervals to detect any relapse of cancer,
development of new cancer, monitor growth/ development and to look
for treatment related toxicity.
The diagnosis and treatment of
childhood cancers takes time, and there are both short-term and
long-term side effects. But thanks to medical advances, more and
more kids with cancer are finishing successful treatment, leaving
hospitals, and growing up just like everybody else. Today, more
than 80% of all children with cancer live 5 years or more.
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