Oncology

Detailed information on cancer in children, including causes, diagnosis, treatment, and coping

Alternative therapy is a nonconventional approach to healing. It may be used instead of standard treatment or in combination with standard medicine. Read on to learn more.

Many tests are needed to find out if a person has cancer, or if another condition is causing cancer symptoms.

The specific treatment for your child's cancer will be determined by your child's healthcare provider, based on a variety of factors, including the type of cancer and the extent of the disease.

There is no one cause for cancer. Scientists believe that it is the interaction of many factors—genetic or environmental.

Detailed information on chemotherapy and managing chemotherapy side effects in children

Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to treat cancer or kill cancer cells. Read on to learn more about what to expect when your child needs this treatment.

A cancer diagnosis is shocking and overwhelming. But prognosis of childhood cancer continues to improve, and the chance of being cured continues to increase.

Germ cells form as a baby grows in the womb. The cells usually form the eggs (ova) in females and the sperm in males. Germ cell tumors are made up of these underdeveloped cells. The tumors may be cancer (malignant) or not cancer (benign).

Hepatoblastoma is a very rare cancer. It’s a tumor that starts in the liver. The cancer cells are similar to fetal liver cells. It usually affects children less than 3 to 4 years of age.

Detailed information on cancer in children

Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy. It can affect the hair on the head, and also the eyebrows, eyelashes, and facial and pubic hair. Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss. And not all children lose hair in the same way.

Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to treat cancer. The medicines can cause an inflammation of the lining of the mouth. The mouth is lined with mucous membranes. When these are inflamed, it’s called mouth mucositis.

Bone marrow suppression is when fewer blood cells are made in the marrow. It's a common side effect of some strong medicines, such as chemotherapy.

Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor. It grows in nerve tissue of babies and young children. The cancer cells grow in young nerve cells of a baby growing in the womb. These cells are called neuroblasts. It’s in the most common cancer in babies under age 1. It’s rare in children older than age 10.

Good nutrition is vital for children being treated for cancer, yet these young patients often have poor appetites.

When a child has cancer or another pain-causing disease, one of their greatest fears is pain. Every effort should be made to ease the pain during the treatment process.

Parents are entitled to a clear explanation about anything related to their child's condition. Here are some important questions you may consider asking your child's healthcare provider.

Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer of the retina of the eye. The retina is in the back of the eye. It’s the part of the eye that receives light. Retinoblastoma is the most common tumor affecting the eye in children. It almost always occurs in children less than 5 years old.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of cancer. It starts in cells that should grow into skeletal muscle cells. Skeletal muscles control voluntary muscle movements. These are movements we can control. This rare cancer is most common in children under age 10.

Detailed information on cancer in children

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. The brain is part of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS also includes the spinal cord.

Wilms tumor is a cancerous tumor that starts in the cells of the kidney. It’s the most common type of kidney cancer in children.

Ewing sarcoma is a rare type of cancer. It’s most common in children and teens between ages 10 and 19. It usually grows in bone, but it can also grow in soft tissue that’s connected to the bone. Read on to learn about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Leukemia is cancer of the blood. It’s the most common form of cancer in childhood. The cancer cells grow in bone marrow and go into the blood.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system. It helps to fight diseases and infections. The lymphatic system also helps with balancing fluids in different parts of the body.

A bone marrow transplant (BMT) is a treatment for children with certain types of cancer or other diseases. The goal of BMT is to replace a child's diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow.

A helpful overview guide to understanding what cancer is.

Clinical trials are studies managed by government agencies, educational institutions, private not-for-profit organizations, or commercial businesses. They develop and evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments and therapies for diseases.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system. It helps to fight diseases and infections. The lymphatic system also helps with balancing fluids in different parts of the body.

Osteosarcoma is cancer of the bone. It is rare, but it is the most common type of bone cancer in children and teens. Learn more about risks, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.