Therapies in Neonatal & Pediatric Oncology
The most widely used therapies for cancer treatment in children include Chemotherapy (To kill cancer cells drugs are used), Radiation (use of radiant energy or particles to kill cancer cells), and Surgery (to abolish cancerous cells or tumours). The type of treatment needed depends on the child's age and on the type and severity of cancer. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy remaining cancer cells in the body. A child or teen is generally given the chemotherapy drugs intravenously (through a vein) or orally (by mouth). Radiation therapy is the use of high energy X-rays or other particles such as photons that destroy or damage cancer cells in parts of the body to which cancer has spread. Immunotherapy is designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight against the foreign invader or cancer. Also, Bone marrow transplantation is a technique used for the treatment of cancer by producing blood cells for the growth and development.