Cancer is the second commonest cause of death, after accidents, among children in developed countries, while in developing countries, improvements in the control of communicable diseases and the occurrence of premature delivery may lead to the emergence of cancer in children as a greater public health problem than in the past. The rationale for considering childhood cancers separately from cancers in adults in that there are differences in the sites of occurrence, in the histological appearance and in their clinical behavior. This book reviews the epidemiology of specific types of childhood cancer to mid-1997. The scale of the problem is first reviewed in a major compilation of data on the descriptive epidemiology of childhood cancer, then separate chapters describe studies of the different postulated causal factors and summarize what can be concluded from them.

Since the late 1960s, the survival rate in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer has steadily improved, with a corresponding decline in the cancer-specific death rate. Although the improvements in survival are encouraging, they have come at the cost of acute, chronic, and late adverse effects precipitated by the toxicities associated with the individual or combined use of different types of treatment (e.g., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy). In some cases, the impairments resulting from cancer and its treatment are severe enough to qualify a child for U.S. Social Security Administration disability benefits. At the request of Social Security Administration, Childhood Cancer and Functional Impacts Across the Care Continuum provides current information and findings and conclusions regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of selected childhood cancers, including different types of malignant solid tumors, and the effect of those cancers on childrenâ (TM)s health and functional capacity, including the relative levels of functional limitation typically associated with the cancers and their treatment. This report also provides a summary of selected treatments currently being studied in clinical trials and identifies any limitations on the availability of these treatments, such as whether treatments are available only in certain geographic areas.

Get a quick, expert overview of the many key facets of pediatric cancer genetics with this concise, practical resource by Dr. Nathaniel H. Robin and Meagan Farmer, MS, CGC, MBA. Ideal for pediatric oncologists and all providers who care for children, this easy-to-read reference addresses the remarkable potential of genetic testing as well as the complexities of choosing the correct test, understanding the results, and counseling the family. - Features a wealth of information on pediatric cancer genetics, including the epidemiology and biology of cancer and the genetic evaluation process and role of genetic counsellors - Highlights examples of syndromes that present in childhood and increase susceptibility to cancer - Discusses the genetic evaluation process in context of the multidisciplinary care of children with cancer - Considers the ethical and legal issues of genetic testing in children and provides illustrative case examples - Consolidates today's available information and guidance in this timely area into one convenient resource - Features a wealth of information on pediatric cancer genetics, including the epidemiology and biology of cancer and the genetic evaluation process and role of genetic counselors. - Highlights examples of syndromes that present in childhood and increase susceptibility to cancer. - Discusses the genetic evaluation process in context of the multidisciplinary care of children with cancer. - Considers the ethical and legal issues of genetic testing in children and provides illustrative case examples. - Consolidates today's available information and guidance in this timely area into one convenient resource.

With the fall in mortality from infectious diseases, the· impact of childhood cancer in the Western World has increased to become the second commonest cause of death in the age group 1-14 years, being surpassed only by accidents. However, even in those countries in which paediatric cancer is attracting increasing interest, the disease is relatively uncommon, and the number of cases seen by any one physician, even in a large general hospital, is often limited to one or two a year. The widely held view by parents and even by many doctors that cancer in childhood is usually untreatable and inevitably fatal is no longer tenable. With improvement in the therapeutic response or in the actual survival rates of children with such lesions as Wilms' tumour, brain tumours, rhabdomyosarcomas, Ewing's sarcoma, retinoblastoma, lym phoma and even leukaemia, there is a real hope of achieving a substantial reduction in the mortality of childhood cancer. Paediatric oncology is, in fact, providing a vigorous stimulus to the much wider field of cancer treatment and research, and is demonstrating the advantages of a multi-disciplinary cooperation in the management of this disease.

The outcome for children with cancer has shown enormous improvement since the first edition of this book was published in 1975. In economically privileged countries, overall survival rates have now reached 80% at five years from diagnosis, and most of these young people will become long term survivors. The Oxford Textbook of Cancer in Children offers state-of-the-art descriptions of the approach needed for the optimal management of children with cancer, and guidance on current treatments available due to the advances made over the past decade. This seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, including brand new chapters on cancer immunotherapy in children, and cancer in adolescents and young adults, plus expanded treatment of tumours of the brain and central nervous system. The book primarily provides clear and up-to-date clinical guidance for use in treatment settings whilst offering a useful background to the biology of individual tumour types and the history of the development of specific treatments. With an international and multi-disciplined authorship comprising of paediatric oncologists, surgeons, radiotherapists, imaging specialists, psychologists, nurses, and many others, the text illustrates how the paediatric oncology community works globally and collaboratively in order to drive forward new therapies, build our knowledge of these diseases, and achieve the common aim of curing childhood cancer. In this new edition, Professors Biondi and Caron have been joined by Professor François Doz, who has a distinguished international reputation, particularly in the treatment of childhood brain tumours and retinoblastoma, as well as early drug development. They have also been joined by Professor Tom Boterberg, a world renowned radio-oncologist for children with cancer. This book will be of value to paediatric oncologists, trainee paediatric oncologists, paediatric haematologists, and other professionals working in paediatric oncology: nurses, AHPs, surgeons, and clinical oncologists.

Like a natural disaster, the diagnosis that your child has cancer can leave you and your family feeling helpless. How do you explain the disease to the child and to his or her siblings? How can you communicate your child's needs to the hospital staff? What are the best ways to reduce the physical side effects and the emotional distress of treatment?How will you, your child or teenager, and the rest of your family cope with cancer, and what can you do to help? When and where do you find good psychological help for your child or your family? How do you manage financial and school issues? How can you foster your child's development and self-esteem? More than 12,000 American children will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and roughly 75% will survive. In addition to excellent medical care, their survival depends on a strong support network, which may include parents, siblings, extended family members, friends and neighbors, classmates and teachers. In this down-to-earth guidebook, the authors draw on their own family's experience with cancer as well as their professional expertise and stories from others to help families address the psychological impact of cancer. The result is a book filled with sound emotional guidance, useful information, and practical advice for families coping with cancer.