Childhood Cancer Treatments: Then and Now

Cancer is a leading killer in children worldwide. In the United States alone, over forty children from birth to 19 years of age are diagnosed with cancer each day. Depending on the form and extent of cancer, these children will have to go undergo one or multiple treatments. The most effective and popular treatments for these pediatric oncology patients are chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. These treatments have come a long way over time. From 50 years ago to today there have been major advancements made to better these treatments.
Within a year it is estimated that 263,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with some form of cancer. This divides into a approximated number of 720 pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer each day. Out of the total amount of pediatric patients diagnosed, an alarming 91,250 will not win their battle against this disease. This comes down to about 250 children dying from `cancer daily.
It is not one hundred percent certain why children develop cancer. However, it is known that a mutated gene is the most likely cause of the cancer in children The mutated gene leads to uncontrollable growth of cancerous cells that stop the normal functions within a child's body. The growth of these abnormal cells takes a toll on a child weakening his or her body, destroying organs and/or bones. Treatments try to eliminate the growth of these abnormal cells or destroy them completely.
In the 1960s, chemotherapy was considered to be an ineffective cancer treatment. The best results for this drug were found when it was used to treat leukemia patients. Before the 1970s medical professionals did not have the technology they do now, making the use of radiation not as effective. Like radiation, surgery was not as accurate with the absence of major medical machinery and, operations were much more invasive without certain technology available now. In the 1970s, scientists first developed a way to create mass amounts of antibodies to help patients through immunotherapy. Before then, immunotherapy was not very effective for treating cancer in children.
Now with major medical advancements, especially technology, all of these major cancer treatments are more effective. Chemotherapy is now the most common form of pediatric oncology treatment. Over the years, scientist have developed new drugs to help treat patients undergoing chemotherapy. For radiation, there are now MRI, PET, and CT scans that better help pinpoint and target cancer directly where it affects the child. These machines have also had a major impact on surgery. Doctors can now get a better look inside of the patient without having to operate to do so. New technology such as fiber optic technology medical professionals can perform minimally invasive operations. Medical professionals also have access to create BRMs, or biological response modifiers, that are normally created by the patient's body. Since scientists have the technology to create these antibodies, they can help patients build up their immune system to fight off the cancerous cells.
It is these advancements over the years that help raise the survival rate from only ten percent fifty years ago to 90 percent today. These advancements include the findings of more effective drugs for chemotherapy and better antibodies to help a patient undergoing immunotherapy. Radiation therapy, as well as surgery and other forms of cancer treatments were found to be more effective with the advancements in modern technology and medical machines. Although the numbers of patients being diagnosed with cancer seem to be increasing, because of these advancements over time, the death rate is decreasing.