Cancer in Children

Summary

Cancer is a group of related diseases. In all types of cancer, some of the body’s cells begin to divide without stopping and spread into surrounding tissues.

Normally, new cells form as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes, this process goes wrong. New cells form when you don’t need them, and old cells don’t die when they should. The extra cells can form a tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren’t cancer. Malignant tumors are cancer, and the cancer cells can spread to nearby tissues. They can also break away and spread to other parts of the body.

Children can get cancer in the same parts of the body as adults, but there are differences. Childhood cancers may happen suddenly, without early symptoms. Some types can often be cured. The most common children’s cancer is leukemia. Some of the other more common types of cancer in children include brain tumors, lymphoma, and soft tissue sarcoma.

Symptoms and treatment depend on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. Treatments may include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Stem cell transplants
• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells

NIH: National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute

Patient Handouts

• A guide to help children understand cancer Medical Encyclopedia
• After chemotherapy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Eating extra calories when you are sick – children Medical Encyclopedia
• Questions to ask your child’s doctor about cancer Medical Encyclopedia

Teenagers

• Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Cancer Basics Nemours Foundation
• Dealing with Cancer Nemours Foundation
• Radiation Therapy Nemours Foundation

Statistics and Research

• Advances in Childhood Cancer: Making Personalized Treatments a Reality National Institutes of Health
• Childhood Cancer Statistics CureSearch for Children’s Cancer
• Childhood Cancer Survivor Study: An Overview National Cancer Institute

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
• Children’s Oncology Group Cancer Center Locations Children’s Oncology Group
• Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
• National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• Cancer in Children American Cancer Society
• Cancer in Children and Adolescents National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Cancer Nemours Foundation
• Children with Cancer: A Guide for Parents National Cancer Institute
• If Your Child Has Cancer American Cancer Society

Living With

• Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors National Cancer Institute
• Coping with Cosmetic Effects of Cancer Treatment Nemours Foundation
• Returning to School after Cancer Treatment American Cancer Society
• Support for Families when a Child Has Cancer National Cancer Institute

Children

• Chemotherapy Nemours Foundation
• What Is Cancer? Nemours Foundation

Clinical Trials

• Children’s Assent to Clinical Trial Participation National Cancer Institute
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cancer in Children National Institutes of Health

Encyclopedia

• Children’s cancer centers Medical Encyclopedia
• Getting support when your child has cancer Medical Encyclopedia
• Helping your child understand a cancer diagnosis Medical Encyclopedia
• How childhood cancers are different from adult cancers Medical Encyclopedia
• Rhabdomyosarcoma Medical Encyclopedia
• Treatment for childhood cancer — long-term risks Medical Encyclopedia
• When your child’s cancer treatment stops working Medical Encyclopedia

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Childhood Cancers National Cancer Institute
• Drugs Approved for Rhabdomyosarcoma National Cancer Institute
• Immunotherapy (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Rare Cancers of Childhood Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Steroids for Treating Cancer (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Extracranial Germ Cell Tumors) National Cancer Institute

Related Issues

• Early (Precocious) Puberty Children’s Oncology Group
• Effects of Cancer Treatment on Fertility (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Relapse or Recurrence CureSearch for Children’s Cancer

Diagnosis and Tests

• Finding Cancer in Children American Cancer Society
• Stages of Childhood Extracranial Germ Cell Tumors National Cancer Institute

Specifics

• General Information about Childhood Extracranial Germ Cell Tumors National Cancer Institute
• Other Rare Cancers of Childhood National Cancer Institute
• Rare Cancers of the Abdomen National Cancer Institute
• Rare Cancers of the Chest National Cancer Institute
• Rare Cancers of the Head and Neck National Cancer Institute
• Rare Cancers of the Reproductive and Urinary Systems National Cancer Institute
• Rare Tumor of Pancreas Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center

Genetics

• Mosaic variegated aneuploidy syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• New Treatments Possible for a Rare Childhood Cancer
• The Youngest Patients, the Toughest Battles

Journal Articles

• Cancer in Children

Videos and Tutorials

• When Your Child Is Diagnosed with Cancer National Cancer Institute