Pediatric Cancer

MaineHealth oncology specialists provide expert care for children with cancer. Families can rely on the MaineHealth Maine Children’s Cancer Program for services that meet the unique needs of young patients diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders. Our multidisciplinary team will work with you and your primary care provider to coordinate care.

What is pediatric cancer?

Cancer starts when normal cells in the body change and grow out of control. These cells can form a mass called a tumor. A tumor may be malignant or benign (not harmful). Pediatric cancer is rare. It can occur anywhere in the body, including the blood and lymph node system, brain and central nervous system (CNS), and kidneys. Most of the time, there is no known cause for childhood cancers. Childhood cancers may act very differently from adult cancers, even if they start in the same part of the body.

Pediatric cancer conditions include, but are not limited to:

• Leukemia
• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
• Brain Tumor
• Sarcoma
• Hodgkin's Lymphoma
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Liver Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Retinoblastoma
• Germ Cell Tumor
• Neuroblastoma

Diagnosing pediatric cancer

If your doctor thinks your child may have a cancer, your child may be sent to a pediatric cancer specialist. The specialist will order tests which may include:

• CT scan
• X-ray
• MRI scan
• Blood tests
• Biopsy (removing part of lump or sampling it with a small needle to look for cancer cells)

Treating pediatric cancer

Your child's doctor will choose the best treatment based on your child’s age, the type of cancer and how severe it is. Treatment options include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Bone marrow transplant
• Surgery