Diagnosis & Treatment

Diagnosis
Cancer begins with the transformation of a single cell. The malignant changes that occur in these renegade cells can cause several signs and symptoms, many of which mimic common childhood illnesses.

The following are some of the signs and symptoms that may indicate the presence of childhood cancer:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Headaches, often with early morning vomiting
• Increased swelling or persistent pain in bones, joints, the back or legs
• Lumps, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis or armpits
• Development of excessive bruising or bleeding
• Recurrent or persistent fevers of unknown origin
• Constant infections
• Persistent eye or vision changes that occur suddenly
• A whitish color behind the pupil
• Nausea which persists or vomiting without nausea
• Constant tiredness or noticeable paleness

If, after discussions with the doctor, you are still uneasy about a diagnosis or your child's medical care, do not hesitate to seek another opinion before moving ahead with any routine or emergency treatment. Conscientious doctors welcome consultations and encourage second opinions. There are many gray areas in medicine where judgment and experience are as important as knowledge. Many insurance companies even require a second opinion. There are two ways to get a second opinion: see another specialist, or ask your child's specialist to arrange a multidisciplinary second opinion. Sometimes, with complex illnesses or injuries, a group of specialists will meet to review a case.

Treatment
There are a variety of treatment options for pediatric cancer, depending on the type of cancer your child has. It may include one or more of the following therapies: chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and stem cell or bone marrow transplantation. Other therapies may also be used alone or in combination with other treatments.

Surgery

Today, surgery offers the greatest chance at a cure for many types of cancer. About 60% of people with cancer will have some type of surgery.

Radiation Therapy

Uses high-energy particles or waves, such as x-rays or gamma rays, to destroy or damage cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

Uses medicines (drugs) to treat cancer. Systemic chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs that are usually given intravenously or orally. These drugs enter the bloodstream and reach all areas of the body, potentially making this treatment useful for cancer that has spread.

Hormone Therapy

Is treatment involving the use of hormones. This can mean that a patient is treated with hormones or is given drugs that interfere with hormone production or hormone action; surgically removing hormone-producing glands to kill cancer cells or slow their growth is also a possible method of treatment.

Immunotherapy

Is the use of treatments that promote or support the body's immune system response to a disease such as cancer.

Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue found in the center of bones. The bone marrow's main function is to produce the blood cells that circulate in the body. These blood cells develop from immature cells, called stem cells, which live mostly in bone marrow, but which also circulate in the blood in small numbers. Bone marrow can be used to give a person with cancer healthy stem cells that will eventually grow into blood cells; peripheral blood can also be used to give a person healthy stem cells.

A transplant may be performed when an individual's stem cells (cells that make red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) are damaged or diseased, or when an individual is given high dose chemotherapy and/or radiation in order to kill all possible cancer cells. When this is done, the doses are so high that the healthy stem cells and/or marrow cells are also destroyed and must be replaced. In both cases, the procedure involves a type of transfusion of healthy, new stem/marrow cells.