Treatments for childhood bone cancer

A child diagnosed with bone cancer will have a treatment plan created just for them by their healthcare team. It will be based on important information about the cancer and about the child. When deciding which treatments to offer as part of the plan, the healthcare team will consider:

• the type of bone cancer
• the size of the tumour and where it is
• whether the cancer has spread (the stage)
• the child's age
• the child's overall health, lifestyle and activity levels

Childhood bone cancer is generally treated using chemotherapy and surgery. Radiation therapy is sometimes used for Ewing sarcoma along with these treatments.

Treatment is given in a pediatric cancer centre by a multidisciplinary team. This includes radiologists, pediatric oncologists, pathologists, surgical or orthopedic oncologists and radiation oncologists. Other support staff such as child life specialists, dietitians, physiotherapists, social workers and counsellors are also available.

The surgeon who planned or carried out the biopsy will also do the surgery to remove the tumour (if surgery is part of the treatment plan). The area where the biopsy was taken will need to be removed when the tumour is removed.