Pediatric vs Adult Treatment

Introduction[]

DSRCT is considered a childhood cancer that predominately strikes boys (and girls) in the second decade of life. DSRCT also appears to hit young adults who hover on the edge of being treated by a pediatric oncologist or an adult oncologist.

When young adult patients are making a choice between being treated by an adult or a pediatric oncologist, keep in mind that the most information and expertise about DSRCT is in the field of pediatric oncology.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor is considered a childhood cancer because of the primitive nature of the affected cells. There are more pediatric oncologists who have treated the disease, than adult oncologists. Some of the more prominent physicians who have treated DSRCT practice medicine in the pediatric field. Adult patients are usually not acceped to be treated by pediatric oncologists. Adult patients should ask their adult oncologist to consult with pediatric oncologists familiar with DSRCT. Their own physician should be able to confer with a pediatric oncologist if the situation is warranted.

Pediatric oncologists often belong to to the national Children's Oncology Group which has created a collaborative database of pediatric cancer information. Because this is a childhood disease a pediatric oncologist may be aware of different types of treatment options being used.

It should be mentioned that there are physical and emotional needs that mark the differences between a child, an adolescent, and an adult. Parents of adolescents should be aware of that teens could benefit from pediatric teams that include pediatric oncologist, nurse practitioner, surgeon, radiologist, and social workers, which may not be readily available for adult patients.

Children and adolescents depending on their overall health, may also be able to tolerate higher doses of chemotherapy, endure complicated surgeries, be more adaptable, and heal faster than adults.

Adults may be offered more experimental procedures and more clinical trials than children and adolescents. Patients should keep these things in mind when seeking out treatment.

The data on this page will be a comparison to see the differences between pediatric oncology treatment options and adult treatment options. Eventually dosage information will be added. Some patients have seen both pediatric and adult oncologists, that will be noted also.