There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to pediatric cancer care. We admit it’s frustrating to see a lack of funding for pediatric cancer research and how medical advancements seem to lag behind adult cancer research.
We must understand, though, that the approach to pediatric cancer treatment must differ from the adult approach. Here’s why!
While in a broad sense, the goal is always to cure cancer, a care team will approach a 2-year-old with cancer differently than an 80-year-old. Childhood cancer treatment is concerned with preserving longevity and quality of life, whereas elderly patient care may prioritize only quality of life. Pediatric cancer care teams are constantly fighting a balancing act – pursuing effective treatments while minimizing detrimental effects from toxic radiation therapies.
Curing cancer comes at a cost, and these doctors and nurses want to cure cancer without taking that kind of toll on a child’s body and life.
The goal, then, isn’t just to cure cancer. It’s to cure cancer with treatments that don’t have to be so invasive or toxic to other parts of the body.
Developing these kinds of treatments takes time. Unfortunately, developing childhood cancer treatments isn’t as simple as translating adult treatment methods to a smaller scale. The goals are just different – and that’s a good thing!
Until recently, it was common for every child with a particular type of cancer to receive the same treatment. As we mentioned, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Even if the cancer is the same, the child is not. Not only that, but mutations cause significant roadblocks and setbacks. Targeted, specific treatments are always better because they spare healthy cells from the corrosive effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
These targeted drugs were once a pipe dream but are now being used to treat pediatric cancer more effectively and with fewer side effects. While some things, like hair loss, nausea, and susceptibility to illness, may go away, that’s not always the case. Hearing loss, fatigue, joint pain, fertility complications, cardiac issues, and problems with learning, memory, and mental health may persist into adulthood.
Even though we want to cure cancer, children deserve the best life possible long after their cancer has disappeared.
CAR T cell therapy is one of the most exciting advancements in pediatric cancer treatment. It’s just one of the most promising new treatment methods to emerge in response to the need for less invasive, less corrosive solutions for pediatric patients.
T cells are located in the blood. A lab extracts and modifies these cells to “search and destroy” cancer cells. They then grow these cells by the millions before reintroducing them to the child’s bloodstream. Because this is a highly personalized (and expensive) treatment, its primary application is for patients experiencing relapse or a high risk of relapse.
Still, there’s much promise in this new tactic. Generally speaking, doctors want to take a “less is more” approach for their youngest patients. Traditional cancer treatments may be effective, but they may not be worth the toll on the child and their future.
The idea, then, is to tailor treatment to the individual – seeking out the most effective and least invasive techniques. This helps avoid troublesome late effects that can compromise a child’s quality of life as they age. Not all late effects are avoidable but careful, personalized care reduces the burden of survivorship care and later complications.
We see and understand the frustration with the current state of pediatric cancer care. Though pediatric cancer is more survivable than ever, it hasn’t been cured. Things seem to move too slowly, and kids are paying the consequences. At the same time, we’re encouraged to see this critical medical field approaching care with the whole child in mind.
More personalized, targeted care will yield better results in the long run. Kids deserve that kind of care. They’re not numbers are statistics – they’re children with hopes and dreams. Children with a future. The best doctors, researchers, and medical professionals can do is give every child the best possible chance at long and fulfilling life.