Treatment for children's cancers

 

Types of treatment Back to top

At present, there are three main ways of treating cancer:

• The tumour can be cut out during an operation (surgery).
• Cancer cells can be killed with drugs (chemotherapy).
• Cancer cells can be killed by radiation (radiotherapy).

Your doctor will discuss with you which treatment, or combination of treatments, is appropriate for your child.

More information about treatment is given in the individual pages about specific childhood cancers.

Health and activities during treatment Back to top

While having treatment, your child should be able to continue with most of their usual activities if they feel able to, as long as you are aware of some basic precautions. The hospital staff will give you guidance on anything you should do, or anything you need to know, related to your child’s particular treatment.

While your child is having cancer treatment, you should not give them any other drugs or medicines without first discussing these with your child’s doctors. This includes any complementary or alternative treatments. While your child is having treatment they must not have vaccinations or immunisations.

Giving consent to treatment Back to top

Before your child has any treatment, their doctor will explain the aims of the treatment to you and will ask you or your child to sign a form to give permission (consent) for the hospital staff to give the treatment. Once a child reaches the age of 16, they can usually consent to their own treatment. The law about children consenting to treatment is very complicated so do discuss any concerns you have with your doctor.

Before you are asked to sign the form you should be given full information about:

• the type and extent of the treatment recommended for your child
• the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment
• any other types of treatments that may be appropriate
• any significant risks or side effects of the treatment.

If you do not understand what you have been told, let the staff know straight away so that they can explain again. Many cancer treatments are complex, so it is not unusual for people to need repeated explanations.

You may also find it useful to write down a list of questions before you go for your appointment.

People often feel that hospital staff are too busy to answer their questions. However, it is important for you to be aware of how the treatment is likely to affect your child and any possible side effects that the treatment may cause. The staff should be willing to make time for you to ask questions.

You can always ask for more time to discuss or to decide about the treatment if you feel that you can’t make a decision when it is first explained to you. In emergencies, decisions may have to be taken quickly, but otherwise it is usually possible to take as much time as you need.