Pediatric Supportive Care (PDQ®) Note: Information about
physical adjustment to treatment, problems with physical and
cognitive development, and life after cancer treatment will be
added to this summary in the future. Most children with cancer
can be cured. However, cancer treatment for young patients can
cause unwanted side effects and other problems during and after
treatment. Early treatment of cancer symptoms and the side
effects of therapy helps patients feel better, stay stronger,
and cope with life after cancer. Supportive care improves the
patient's physical, psychological, social, and spiritual quality
of life. Supportive care is given to children of all ages,
including infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Cancer in children and young adults is different from cancer
that develops later in life. Childhood cancers usually do not
act like adult cancers and are not treated the same way: In
general, treatments for childhood cancer use higher doses of
chemotherapy and radiation than is used fo