How do you treat cancer?
There are many treatment options available for children and adolescents with cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, treatment may include: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and stem cell transplantation. There have been remarkable advances in cancer treatments, many of which use a less toxic approach to deliver good outcomes and fewer long-term side effects. The majority of children with cancer survive their disease and go on to lead full, productive lives. We take many factors into consideration, such as the type of cancer, its presence throughout the body, and your child's age and general health, when deciding what approach is best for your child.
How do I know if the recommended treatment is the best one for my child?
The cancer experts at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston are known around the world for the contributions their research and treatment efforts have played in improving the outcome for children diagnosed with cancer. If your child's cancer is rare or has unusual features, we will frequently contact our colleagues at other medical institutions to seek additional thoughts about the best treatment approach. We may recommend enrolling in a research study (clinical trial) if we think the trial offers the best possible treatment.
Because our doctors participate in many national pediatric oncology groups focused on improving childhood cancer treatments, we offer access to many of these studies through Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Care. However, if an appropriate treatment is unavailable through our program, we will work with our colleagues to arrange for you to receive the necessary treatment.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial evaluates a specific treatment for a particular type of cancer, allowing new and better treatments to be determined. If enrolling on a clinical trial is a treatment option, your child's primary oncologist will explain what the treatment involves, its goals and objectives, and answer any questions you have about enrolling on the study.
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