This post originally appeared on Vector, Boston Children’s Hospital’s blog. Our blood carries tiny amounts of DNA from broken-up cells. If we have cancer, some of that DNA comes from tumor cells. Studies performed with adult cancers have shown that this circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may offer crucial clues about tumor genetic mutations and how … Continued
Emmanuel “Manny” Johnson, Jr., shares many loves with his little brother, Aiden—from basketball to video games. One thing he wishes they did not share is sickle cell disease (SCD), so Manny is playing a role in a new effort to improve treatment for patients like seven-year-old Aiden, himself, and others living with the inherited blood … Continued
When Jessica Audette looks at her daughter, Samantha, and son, Jacob, she finds herself overwhelmed by feelings of love, pride, and joy. And there’s a reason she refers to them as her “miracle children”—Audette is a neuroblastoma survivor, and it wasn’t always clear that she would be able to have kids. In 1974, a pediatrician … Continued
Wilms tumor is the most common type of pediatric kidney cancer. It is most common in children age five and younger, but it can also occur from infancy to age 15. As with any cancer, the tumor can spread beyond its initial location. What are the causes and symptoms of Wilms tumor? Occasionally, a child … Continued
Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops in nerve cells. It frequently begins in the adrenal glands; it may also originate in nerve tissue along the spine and show up as masses in the neck, chest, abdomen, or spine. It is the most common cancer in babies and the third most common cancer in children. Ninety … Continued
Interventional radiology offers a set of minimally invasive procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care for certain diseases, such as cancer. This subspecialty in interventional radiology is also known as interventional oncology. These procedures can be alternative options to open biopsies and surgeries, and are typically shorter, relatively less risky and associated with faster recovery. Interventional … Continued
If your child could be at risk for cancer, the sooner you discover that risk, the more you can do to prevent cancer or catch it in an early stage. Not every child needs to be tested, so it’s important to learn what genetic testing is and whether it’s the right decision for you and … Continued
This post originally appeared on Thriving, Boston Children Hospital’s pediatric health blog. Our daughter Sajni Chakrabarti was only 7 and a half years old when she was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer—diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)—and given only nine months to live. Sajni loved life and learning. She spoke French fluently, … Continued
The first year of a baby’s life is filled with milestones, but between sitting and standing up, holding his bottle, and playing peek-a-boo, there was one thing Landon Cato developed that his parents never anticipated: cancer. Landon was just shy of eight months old in July 2016 when his parents took him to the pediatrician, … Continued
From new immunotherapy treatments to improved understanding of the genetic mechanisms of pediatric tumors, the past year has brought many important advances against childhood cancers. We sat down with Scott Armstrong, MD, PhD, chair of Pediatric Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to discuss some of these developments. CAR T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed ALL A CAR … Continued
Pediatric oncologist Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, draws on Dana-Farber’s network of experts to work together on new treatment options for children with cancer.
In the context of a diagnosis of cancer, anemia can be caused by the cancer itself, chemotherapy treatments, or both.
Eli Morse has had to make major changes to his active lifestyle, but one thing has stayed the same: Eli and his family will continue to fight his aplastic anemia together.
With the advent of better treatments, more young patients treated for childhood cancers are surviving longer, and many reach the age when they consider starting families.
The differences between cancers in adults and children go well beyond age. In many respects, they are markedly different diseases.
Cameron Smith has spent decades traveling the country on his motorcycle, but nothing quite matches the car ride he took to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute this summer—his first visit in 40 years to the cancer center where Institute founder Sidney Farber, MD, saved his life in 1961.
Researchers at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center are leading a number of studies in osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that starts in the bones.
New technologies are being used to analyze exactly how DIPG develops in the first place.
An interventional radiology procedure stabilized the growth of a toddler’s rare liver tumor until he was able to receive a life-saving liver transplant. Today, he is healthy and thriving.
In 2009, Drew was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder. Because of a stem cell transplant, he was cured—and now, he has his mind set on becoming a pediatric oncologist.