Overview of the Management of Malignancy in Children

Question 1

Treatment options for malignancy in children

Answer 1

Chemotherapy

Allogenic or autologous transplant

Targeted therapy

Radiotherapy

Surgery

Question 2

Complications from cancer treatments in children

Answer 2

Infection secondary to immunosuppression

Bone marrow suppression

Gastrointestinal effects

Drug-specific side effects

Fertility

Question 3

GI effects

Answer 3

Mouth ulcers (common, painful, severe; might limit feeding)

Nausea & vomiting (only partially prevented by antiemetic drugs)

Can result in significant nutritional compromise

Gut mucosal damage causes diarrhoea, may predispose to Gram negative infections

Question 4

Drug-specific side effects

Answer 4

Cardiotoxicity (doxorubicin)

Renal failure and otoxicity (cisplatin)

Haemorrhagic cystitis (cyclophosphamide)

Neuropathy (vincristine)