The Basics of Pediatric Oncology

Writer: Riya Misra

What Is Pediatric Oncology?

Pediatric oncology is the branch of medicine concerned with childhood cancers. Pediatric oncologists, like other oncologists, diagnose and treat forms of cancer. However, childhood cancers are acutely different from adult cancers, in terms of risk factors and treatment. Pediatric oncologists are thus trained in both oncology and pediatrics.

Causes & Risk Factors

Since childhood cancer is rare, its causes are fairly unknown. Scientists are currently looking into the effects of toxins and chemicals on adolescent health and studies show that pediatric cancer genomes have mutations. However, these mutations take years to accumulate, and are more frequent in adult cancer genomes.

Cancer is more common in adults, and is often caused by lifestyle factors: smoking, poor diet, stress, drinking, poor environment, etc. This is partially why cancer is much rarer in children, since the consequences of risky lifestyle choices have yet to pose serious health threats.

Types of Cancers

The most common types of pediatric cancers affect the blood, bones, and brain, including:

Osteosarcoma: a form of bone cancer that weakens and destroys bone tissue.

Neuroblastoma: a cancer of the nerve cells, which develops at the fetal stage.

Leukemia: a cancer of the white blood cells, which affects the body’s bone marrow and immune system.

Lymphoma: a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is classified into Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Remember, childhood cancers are hardly ever influenced by lifestyle choices. It tracks that lung and liver diseases—often caused by excessive smoking and alcohol consumption—are rare in children, but not adults. Indeed, adults are much more prone to lung, liver, prostate, colon, and breast cancers.

Diagnosis

Childhood cancer is difficult to diagnose because of its rarity. Additionally, these cancers are aggressive and spread more quickly than adult cancers. As a result, 80% of childhood cancers have spread to other parts of the body by the time they’re diagnosed.

Treatment Methods

Children receive the same cancer treatments as adults: chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, etc. Side effects (such as those from radiation therapy) are a larger concern, since children's bodies are still developing. But, treatment is actually more successful in children, in part because they can handle chemotherapy better. On the whole, children respond better to treatments than adults. Indeed, the five-year survival rate for pediatric acute lymphoid leukemia is 91%; for adults, it's 71%.

Children are also treated at specific pediatric oncology centers. These centers are equipped with the extra resources needed to support young patients and their families: pediatric oncologists, surgeons, nurse practitioners, social workers, psychologists, physical therapists, and educators.

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Resources:

Levy, Adam S. “How Childhood Cancers Are Different from Adult Cancers: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 21 July 2020, medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000845.htm.

“Types of Cancer That Develop in Children.” American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, 14 Oct. 2019, www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-in-children/types-of-childhood-cancers.html.

“What Are the Differences Between Cancers in Adults and Children?” American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, 14 Oct. 2019, www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-in-children/differences-adults-children.html.

“What Is Pediatric Oncology?” Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, rockymountainhospitalforchildren.com/health-education/what-is-pediatric-oncology.dot.

“What Is the Difference Between Cancer in Adults and Cancer in Children?: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.” Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 11 Sept. 2018, blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2018/09/difference-cancer-adults-cancer-children/.