Cancer is the second commonest cause of death, after accidents, among children in developed countries, while in developing countries, improvements in the control of communicable diseases and the occurrence of premature delivery may lead to the emergence of cancer in children as a greater public health problem than in the past. The rationale for considering childhood cancers separately from cancers in adults in that there are differences in the sites of occurrence, in the histological appearance and in their clinical behavior. This book reviews the epidemiology of specific types of childhood cancer to mid-1997. The scale of the problem is first reviewed in a major compilation of data on the descriptive epidemiology of childhood cancer, then separate chapters describe studies of the different postulated causal factors and summarize what can be concluded from them.

Since the late 1960s, the survival rate in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer has steadily improved, with a corresponding decline in the cancer-specific death rate. Although the improvements in survival are encouraging, they have come at the cost of acute, chronic, and late adverse effects precipitated by the toxicities associated with the individual or combined use of different types of treatment (e.g., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy). In some cases, the impairments resulting from cancer and its treatment are severe enough to qualify a child for U.S. Social Security Administration disability benefits. At the request of Social Security Administration, Childhood Cancer and Functional Impacts Across the Care Continuum provides current information and findings and conclusions regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of selected childhood cancers, including different types of malignant solid tumors, and the effect of those cancers on childrenâ (TM)s health and functional capacity, including the relative levels of functional limitation typically associated with the cancers and their treatment. This report also provides a summary of selected treatments currently being studied in clinical trials and identifies any limitations on the availability of these treatments, such as whether treatments are available only in certain geographic areas.

Get a quick, expert overview of the many key facets of pediatric cancer genetics with this concise, practical resource by Dr. Nathaniel H. Robin and Meagan Farmer, MS, CGC, MBA. Ideal for pediatric oncologists and all providers who care for children, this easy-to-read reference addresses the remarkable potential of genetic testing as well as the complexities of choosing the correct test, understanding the results, and counseling the family. Features a wealth of information on pediatric cancer genetics, including the epidemiology and biology of cancer and the genetic evaluation process and role of genetic counselors. Highlights examples of syndromes that present in childhood and increase susceptibility to cancer. Discusses the genetic evaluation process in context of the multidisciplinary care of children with cancer. Considers the ethical and legal issues of genetic testing in children and provides illustrative case examples. Consolidates today’s available information and guidance in this timely area into one convenient resource.

Only more recently has it been realized that the intense effort to care for and cure a child with cancer does not end with survival. Continued surveillance and a variety of interventions may, in many cases, be needed to identify and care for consequences of treatment that can appear early or only after several decades and impair survivors' health and quality of life. The more than two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors who experience late effects-that is, complications, disabilities, or adverse outcomes-as a result of their disease, its treatment, or both, are the focus of this report which outlines a comprehensive policy agenda that links improved health care delivery and follow-up, investments in education and training for health care providers, and expanded research to improve the long-term outlook for this growing population now exceeding 270,000 Americans.

As the culminating volume in the DCP3 series, volume 9 will provide an overview of DCP3 findings and methods, a summary of messages and substantive lessons to be taken from DCP3, and a further discussion of cross-cutting and synthesizing topics across the first eight volumes. The introductory chapters (1-3) in this volume take as their starting point the elements of the Essential Packages presented in the overview chapters of each volume. First, the chapter on intersectoral policy priorities for health includes fiscal and intersectoral policies and assembles a subset of the population policies and applies strict criteria for a low-income setting in order to propose a "highest-priority" essential package. Second, the chapter on packages of care and delivery platforms for universal health coverage (UHC) includes health sector interventions, primarily clinical and public health services, and uses the same approach to propose a highest priority package of interventions and policies that meet similar criteria, provides cost estimates, and describes a pathway to UHC.

Thoroughly updated for its Sixth Edition,Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncologyprovides a comprehensive review of the multiple disciplines that make up the care and research agendas for children with cancer. It is the most comprehensive textbook of pediatric oncology ever put together, covering biology and genetics and detailing the diagnosis, multimodal treatment, and long-term management of patients with cancer. The fundamental principles of supportive care and the psychosocial aspects of support for patients and families are also discussed.