Cancer is relatively rare among children. About 33% of childhood cancers are Leukemia (Blood Cancer). Some other cancers include Brain Tumors , Lymphoma and certain bone cancers. About 25% of childhood cancers are brain tumors, about 8% are lymphomas, and about 4% are bone cancers.
Cancers that occur only in children are Neuroblastoma, Wilms Tumor, Retinoblastoma etc.
In contrast to many adult cancers, cancers in children tend to be much more curable. Over 75% of children with cancer survive at least 5 years.
Treatment depends on the type of cancer and stage.
Children who survive cancer also have more years than adults to develop long-term consequences of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which include
- Infertility
- Poor growth
- Development of second cancers (which occur in 3 to 12% of children who survive cancer)
- Psychologic and social problems
Because such severe consequences are possible and treatment is complex, children with cancer are best treated in centres where experts have experience treating childhood cancers.
Our Hospital has a multidisciplinary Team to take care of these kind of cancers.
Care team for cancer treatment
The impact of being diagnosed with cancer and the intensity of the treatment are overwhelming to the child and family. Maintaining a sense of normalcy for the child is difficult, especially because the child may have to be hospitalized frequently and go to a doctor’s office or outpatient centre for treatment of the cancer and its complications. Overwhelming stress is typical, as parents struggle to continue to work, be attentive to siblings, and still attend to the many needs of the child with cancer.
We at Apollo Hospital try our best to take care of the needs of the child and the parents. Our passionate Team members and the supportive staff take utmost care to give comfort and warmth to the child.
