Oncology

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Medical Oncology for Children
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What is Cancer Therapy?

• Cancer therapy for children is most often
  called pediatric oncology.
• It is one of the most ruthless forms of cancer
  because it attacks young defenseless children.

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• If you spend any time learning about cancer
  and pediatric oncology you'll undoubtedly
  discover that there are many stories of young
  lives taken much too soon to this horrible
  disease.
• In their efforts to fight their cancer
  children must undergo painful medical oncology
  treatments

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Types of Cancer Treatment For Children

• The main types of cancer treatment for children
  are
• Chemotherapy,
• Radiation Therapy, and
• Surgery to remove the cancer.

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Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that kills
  cancer cells but damages normal human cells.
• This type of treatment can cause severe side
  effects and long lasting health implications.
• The damage depends greatly on how long
  chemotherapy is performed and how long the child
  is exposed to this type of treatment.

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Radiation therapy

• Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that can
  make tumors smaller by using high energy rays.
• Radiation therapy can be used as a stand alone
  treatment or it can be used prior to or after
  surgery.
• It can also be harmful to normal cells, not just
  cancer cells so there is a risk of severe side
  effects.

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Surgery

• Surgery can be one of the most effective forms
  of cancer treatment.
• Surgery can major or minor, depending on the
  size of the cancerous area and progression of the
  disease.
• One of the main considerations doctors have
  when performing this type of surgery is to try to
  take out as much of the cancer as possible
  without removing healthy tissue (or only removing
  very little healthy tissue).

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Pediatric Cancer Centers

• It is important to know when you are looking
  for a cancer center for children that you find
  one that is a member of the Children's Oncology
  Group (COG).
• Most of these types of facilities are
  non-profit organizations with the sole mission of
  helping kids fight cancer and other related
  diseases.

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• Beyond fighting the sickness these types of
  facilities also help children cope with what they
  have.

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• Generally speaking, almost 71 of all people
  who initially find out they have cancer are
  treated in medical facilities accredited by the
  Commission on Cancer (CoC) by the American
  College of Surgeons so this is also important to
  look for when seeking treatment as you can be
  assured that these centers have the highest level
  of care available to your child.

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• Find out more about oncology in New Jersey at
  one of the many cancer treatment centers. 

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• Many are also  housed in large facilities with
  general New Jersey Medical doctors that can also
  treat other kinds of illnesses.