After a cancer diagnosis, your child's healthcare team will develop a treatment plan specifically for your child. This treatment plan outlines the types of treatment that will be used, how often they will be given, and the expected duration of treatment.
The healthcare team will tailor the treatment plan according to your child's overall health, age, type of cancer, and stage of the disease. Once a treatment plan has been developed, your healthcare team will arrange a meeting with you to explain the plan in detail, including its potential benefits, risks, and side effects. If your child is older, you may wish to have them participate in the meeting.
You should feel comfortable talking openly with your child's healthcare team to help decide the best way to involve your child in decisions about their care. The meeting with your doctor is an opportunity to ask questions about your child's diagnosis, treatment plan, and future. You may wish to invite another family member or friend to attend the meeting and take notes to help you remember what was discussed.
Before treatment begins, your doctor will ask you to provide written consent. Take time to read the information provided to you, discuss it together as a family, and make the decisions that feel right for you. Whatever decision you make will be the right decision for your family.
Each type of childhood cancer is treated differently, depending on what researchers have found to be most effective in eliminating the specific type of cancer cells involved.
The most common types of cancer treatment include:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation Therapy
- Bone Marrow Transplantation (or Stem Cell Transplantation)
- Surgery
- Immunotherapy
- Targeted Therapy
Your child may receive one type of treatment or a combination of treatments, known as combination therapy. Once you and the healthcare team agree on a treatment plan, the healthcare team will closely monitor your child's health throughout treatment.
You are a vital part of your child's healthcare team. If there is anything you do not understand or if you feel that something is not going as expected, ask questions and talk with your doctor.
Source: Children's Oncology Group (COG)
Pediatric Hematologist & Oncologist
