PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY
Pediatric oncology
A diagnosis of cancer often causes much anxiety and grief in everyone.This is more so when the patient is a young child. If a child is diagnosed with cancer, it has a big impact on the whole family. It is important to remember that it’s not the parents/ caregiver’s fault that the child has cancer and it’s not because of anything they’ve done or anything they have not done.
Pediatric oncology is a medical specialty focused on the care of children with cancer.In India, cancer is the 9th common cause for the deaths among children between 5 and 14 years of age.
The most common types of cancer diagnosed in children ages 0 to 14 years are leukemias, brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors and Lymphomas.The causes of most childhood cancers are not known. Approximately 5 percent of all cancers in children are caused by an inherited mutation (a genetic mutation that can be passed from parents to their children).Majority of the cancers in children are thought to develop as a result of mutations in genes that lead to uncontrolled cell growth and eventually cancer.
Childhood cancer needs multidisciplinary, holistic care to ensure appropriate and individualized treatment .Improving outcomes for children with cancer requires early and accurate diagnosis followed by effective treatment.
Treatment of childhood cancers are one of the success stories in the history of medical oncology. In 1970s, less than 10% of all children diagnosed with cancers used to get cured with the available therapy. Now in 2019, more than 80% of all childhood malignancies can be treated effectively and cured.The treatment that a child with cancer receives will depend on the type of cancer and how advanced it is.After clinical evaluation, Diagnostic and staging investigations often direct the further treatment which may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant.
During such intensive therapy, quite often children may have to be hospitalised for prolonged periods or be reviewed by the doctor in clinic with Frequent blood investigations.Children receiving chemotherapy are at risk of infections and bleeding.The cancer is not contagious ( it wouldn't spread to others by touch or contact).One treatment is completed the child can resume school and normal activities but will be followed up regularly.
FAQ
- Is Cancer Contagious?
Cancer is not contagious (Does not spread from one person to the other by contact droplets or aerosols).Children with cancer are often advised not to attend school since they are at risk of infections due to reduced immunity. - Is cancer caused by eating sugary food?
No.There are no studies which have shown that eating sugar will make your cancer worse or that, if you stop eating sugar, your cancer will shrink or disappear. - My child has been diagnosed with cancer. What is the risk of my other children getting it?
There are a small number of very rare genetic syndromes that are associated with increased risk of developing childhood cancer For most children the cause is not clear and it is extremely rare for more than one child to be diagnosed within the same family. - I have been told that my child must have a central line to have chemotherapy. Why can't he have his chemo through his veins in his hands and arms?
Some Chemotherapy drugs can be irritant to the veins and if they are given through an ordinary drip in to the veins in the hands and arms these quite quickly become scarred and it can be difficult to get drips in which can be painful and distressing. - Can cancer surgery or a biopsy cause cancer to spread in the body?
The chances of surgery causing cancer to spread to other parts of the body is extremely low. Surgeons Follow standard Procedures and special techniques to prevent cancer cells from spreading during biopsies or surgery to remove tumours. - Can herbal products cure cancer?
No. no herbal products have been shown to be effective for treating cancer. In fact, some herbal products may be harmful when taken during chemotherapy or radiation therapy because they may interfere with how these treatments work. - Is there a chance for cancer to come back?
Yes.The probability of recurrence / relapse depends again on the type of cancer, the stage and the treatment given.For some cancers like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, the relapse rate is <10%.
Other comprehensive treatments
Check out our list of comprehensive cancer treatments
Support Services
Our holistic approach towards cancer care and management
Our Cancer Specialists
Cytecare’s commitment to providing the highest level of advanced cancer care treatment includes a multi-faceted approach that relies on what we call the four pillars of cancer treatment. Meet our cancer care clinical team of accredited and highly qualified cancer care specialists and top oncologists in Bangalore, India.
DR. ANTHONY PAIS
Senior Consultant – Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, Co-founder and Clinical Director
DR. Kenneth D’ Cruz
Senior Consultant & Director – Gastrointestinal and HBP Surgical Oncology
DR. Prasad Narayanan
Senior Consultant & Director – Medical Oncology (Solid Tumours)
DR. MOHAN KESHAVAMURTHY
Consultant - Urologist
DR. Vikram Kekatpure
Senior Consultant & Director – Head & Neck Surgical Oncology Director – Biorepository Programme
DR. Hari Menon
Senior Consultant & Director – Haemato Oncology, Director – Bone Marrow Transplant Programme
DR. APARNA SUBRAYA GANGOLI
Senior Consultant & Head - Laboratory Medicine
DR. N K Venkataramana
Senior Consultant - Neurosurgery Founder, Chairman & Chief Neurosurgeon - Brains Neuro Spine Hospital
DR. DINESH RAJU
Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead – Department of Anaesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain
DR. AJAY RAO P
Consultant – Radiation Oncology
DR. Girish Shetkar
Consultant – Head & Neck Surgical Oncology
DR. Poovamma C U
Consultant – Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
Dr. G. Rama Mohan Reddy
Consultant - Nuclear Medicine
DR. GURUBASAVA LAKAMAJI
Consultant – Gastroenterologist
DR. SRINIVAS C.H.
Consultant - Orthopedic Oncology
Dr. Harish P
Consultant – Medical Oncology
Dr. VASUDHA N.R
Associate Consultant – Paediatric Oncology
Dr. Rashmi N
Associate Consultant – Gynaecological Oncology
DR. JOSHY E.V.
Senior Consultant - Neurologist, Brains Neuro Spine Hospital
DR. Swati Bhat
Consultant - Pain and Palliative Care, Interventional Spine Specialist
DR. DEEPAK A N
Consultant Neurosurgeon
DR. MAHENDRA MADESH
Consultant Neurosurgeon
DR. SHREYAS NAGARAJ
Consultant - Uro Onco, Urology, Andrology and Renal Transplant Surgery
Dr. Raghavendra Babu
Consultant - Gastrointestinal & HPB Surgical Oncology
Blogs
A detailed insight into everything related to cancer care, cancer symptoms, cancer treatment and mitigation process from the team at Cytecare Cancer Hospitals.
TESTIMONIALS
Read all of our cancer treatment success stories here.
Bhargavi
"I have found all the staff so far at Cytecare Cancer Hospitals are courteous.Dr. Poovamma was the cancer doctor who did my surgery. I thank her for her excellent care, patience, responsiveness and treatment. All the nurses, coordinators I have met were also responsive and caring. Everything is well organized and planned. My experience at this Cancer Hospitals in bangalore has been all good. Thank you all."
Esther Prabha
“My aunt underwent cancer treatment at Cytecare Cancer Hospitals. I must say the cleanliness and taking care of patients was a priority. Mr Morris responded well. Really it's an excellent cancer hospital in bangalore. Cancer doctors, nurses and housekeeping department were good. Especially, I respect Mr Morris's response on time.”
JAYAVARDHANA.C
"Very kind and helpful staff and doctors. The hospitality of Cytecare Cancer Hospital is excellent and all the services are provided in an effective manner. The response from all the departments is good. My uncle underwent cancer surgery and he is responding well with chemotherapy too. We expect a good outcome by the end"
Roopak Poddar
"The first experience with this cancer hospital has been very good, the staff are very friendly, very attentive and ready to sort out the queries and cooperative, Doctors are polite and explain the problem very well, and make us understand about the complexity in simple language. I can say; it’s one of the best cancer hospitals in Bangalore. The hospital is very clean and housekeeping guys are very active and immediately clean up the place wherever they find it’s dirty."
Sanju Navya
"The staff and doctors maintain a good ambiance. Recommended for any kind of cancer treatment. The doctors will assist you clearly further."