The types of cancers that children get are different from the types found in adults. There are exceptions, but as a rule children tend to withstand and respond better to treatment like chemotherapy. But chemotherapy can have some long-term side effects. So children who have had treatment for cancer need to be followed carefully for the rest of their lives.
Children with cancer and their families have special needs that are best met by children's cancer centers. In these centers, teams of experts with experience in treating children provide the best chance for a cure. The team can include (besides doctors and nurses) psychologists, social workers, child life specialists, educators, and others.
Since the 1960s most children with cancer have been treated at these special centers. In the United States, most children with cancer are treated at a children's cancer center that is a member of the Children's Oncology Group (COG). All of these centers are associated with a university or children's hospital.
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