Pediatric Oncology

Pediatric oncology is the research and treatment of cancers in children and young adults. Pediatric oncologists study and train in both pediatrics and oncology. The types of cancers that develop in children are often different from cancers that develop in adults.

Most cancers in children, like those in adults, are thought to develop as a result of mutations in genes that lead to uncontrolled cell growth and eventually cancer. In adults, these gene mutations reflect the cumulative effects of aging and long-term exposure to cancer-causing substances.