Pediatric oncology deals with the treatment of cancer in children. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death among kids under 15 years of age. Cancer occurs randomly and does not differentiate between racial groups or geographic regions. More than 11,000 children are diagnosed with some form of cancer each year. In spite of such stark numbers, advancements in pediatric cancer treatment have brought in tremendous improvements in the results. The survival rates among children afflicted with cancer has dramatically increased during the last 20 years. More than 75 percent of the kids who were diagnosed with cancer are thankfully still alive five years after finding out they have this dreaded disease. In the mid-1970s, this survival rate stood at less than 60 percent.
Cancer in children, like all other cancers, has a similar progression. The cells in the body grow out of control; they invade the boundaries of other cells and destroy them. They end up spreading to other organs and tissues. In kids, cancer takes away their strength and weakens their immunity against other diseases. Are the causes of cancer in kids and adults the same? Usually they are not. In adults, smoking and exposure to toxins in the environment play a big role in the onset of cancer. In most cases, childhood cancer is caused by changes in the genes of the growing cells. These are known as non-inherited mutations. Unfortunately these mutations occur randomly. Since they are unpredictable, there is no sure way to prevent them.
Some of the symptoms associated with pediatric cancer include fevers, swollen glands, recurrent infections and so on. These symptoms also occur with other non-cancerous conditions making it even more difficult for the pediatric oncologist to diagnose the cancer. The treatment of childhood cancer, using chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, depends on the type of cancer, the severity and also the age of the child.