Intrathecal chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the brain may be given to prevent the spread of cancer cells to the brain and spinal cord. Biological therapy may be added to treatment to help your child recover more quickly from the side effects of induction therapy. You may want to consider entering your child into a clinical trial. Treatments currently being studied in clinical trials include new chemotherapy drugs, bone marrow transplantation, and biological therapy. Unwanted side effects can result from treatment long after it ends, so it is important that your child continue to be seen by his or her doctor.
Chemotherapy can later lead to heart problems, as well as kidney and hearing problems.
Radiation therapy may interfere with a child's growth and may increase the risk of hormonal dysfunction and cataract formation. The call is free and a trained information specialist is available to answer your questions. The National Cancer Institute has booklets and other materials for patients, health professionals, and the public. These publications discuss types of cancer, methods of cancer treatment, coping with cancer, and clinical trials. Some publications provide information on tests for cancer, cancer causes and prevention, cancer statistics, and NCI research activities.