Pediatric Oncology: A History of Treatment & Advancements

Pediatric oncology is the study of cancer and possible treatments specifically dealing with children. Many institutions dedicate wings to this branch of the medical field.

Significance

• In 1948, after the observations of Dr. Sidney Farber and his associates on the benefits of chemotherapy for treating acute leukemia, a subspecialty emerged in the United States for pediatric oncology. This branch of the medical field continued to advance with the establishment of national cooperative chemotherapy groups. The American Board of Pediatrics recognizes this subspecialty.

Benefits

• Because of the efforts of Farber and others, the field of pediatric oncology has continued to grow, and more specialized fields have developed. Focus on treatments and acute management for particular types of cancer has increased and developing pharmaceuticals for children with cancer has received more attention.

Considerations

• In April of 2008, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education granted accreditation for a three-year fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology.