Our dedicated cancer specialists at Banner Children’s offer competent and personalized care tailored to your child’s condition and individual needs. We draw on well-established medical knowledge to deliver the care that’s right for your child.
Cancer treatment is dictated by the type of cancer your child is diagnosed with. Often, more than one type of treatment is needed. Treatment options include but are not limited to:
Chemotherapy kills cancer cells throughout the body. Different drugs are used depending on the type as well as the stage of your child’s cancer. Chemotherapy can be used alone, or with other treatments. While your child should be able to go back to daily activities after chemotherapy, it will be important to manage side effects and ensure they get enough rest to recover.
This treatment includes high doses of chemotherapy or radiation to kill the cancer cells. There are two transplant options: autologous (meaning your own cells) and allogeneic (meaning donor cells); these cells can come from bone marrow, blood or umbilical cord blood.
Immunotherapy and cellular therapies use the body's immune system to fight off cancer. T cells are a type of white blood cell that help fight cancer. During CAR-T cell therapy treatment, T cells are removed from the blood and a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is added so they can fight off the cancer. Once this process is complete, the engineered T cells are given back to your child. This type of therapy can take weeks because the blood must be sent to a laboratory to manufacture the CAR-T cells.
Surgical options are available depending on the type and stage of cancer. Surgery can be used to remove the cancer, debulk the cancerous area or determine if the cancer is spreading. Knowing the stage of cancer your child is experiencing helps the pediatric oncologist determine the best next steps for treatment.
Radiation therapy kills certain cancer cells. This therapy is a local treatment and focuses on a specific area where the cancer is affecting the body. Radiation therapy is focused on stopping the cancer cells from growing and multiplying while keeping the healthy cells untouched. There are three ways that radiation therapy can be completed: external radiation, internal radiation and systemic radiation. The type of radiation therapy is dependent on the type of cancer and where it is located.
Banner Children’s continues to research new cancer treatments for children. Your doctor will talk to you and your child about what clinical trials are available and if your child qualifies.
Through our care, we create hope for kids and their families. We help to turn fear into the courage to take on tough challenges, together. Banner Children’s offers resources to support you and your child along the way. Ask your pediatric oncologist about cancer support groups to talk with other patients and survivors.
Learn more about how the team at Banner Children’s cares for your child.
We understand these are trying times for both you and your child. Our team will communicate with you every step of the way to make sure you’re informed and educated about treatment options and plans.
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