ASTRO (American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology) keynote address: Contributions of pediatric oncology: examples derived from advances made in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma and neuroblastoma.

Abstract

A revolution in cure rates has occurred in the treatment of childhood cancer in the past 3 decades. Although scientific and technical improvements in surgery, anesthesia, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy have occurred in this time period, these striking improvements are also due to overall management approaches, such as the concept of multidisciplinary consultation prior to definite management, which have been pioneered in the pediatric patient. Using improvements in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma and neuroblastoma as examples, this paper reviews some of these approaches that have been of particular importance and have, in many instances, been exported to the adult clinic with success. The role that pediatric oncology has served in increasing our knowledge of cancer and the potential that pediatric cancer serves as a model for future gains in our understanding of cancer is also discussed.