The Role of Pediatric Oncologists

Children and adolescents have different medical needs when compared to adults. Therefore, pediatric oncologists tailor their service towards children fighting cancer. Pediatric oncology became a subspeciality under pediatrics in the United States in 1948 after Sidney Faerber and his colleagues were studying the effects of chemotherapy on acute leukemia.

The primary role of pediatric oncologists is to diagnose and treat cancer in children and teens. The development and types of cancers that children acquire are different. According to the American Cancer Society, adults develop cancers primarily due to environmental reasons or habits they have, while childhood cancer develops mainly due to DNA changes before birth or early in life. Common childhood cancers include: brain and spinal cord tumor, lymphoma, leukemia, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, and various types of bone cancers (such as osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma).

Some daily duties that pediatric oncologists perform include examining patients, ordering and analyzing tests, and administering treatments. More importantly, since dealing with cancer is not simple and often causes anxiety and tension, these professionals ensure that both children and adults understand the entire journey from the diagnosis to the prognosis. Oncologists help families understand what specific type of cancer the children have, the damage the cancer is causing and measures that could be taken in order to mitigate the negative consequences (such as the long term effects of chemotherapy) cancer has on families

The path to become a pediatric oncologist is arduous and time intensive. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, aspiring doctors must complete a doctor of medicine (MD) degree or a doctor of osteopathic (DO) degree. Next, these individuals must complete three year residency in pediatrics along with a certification from the American Board of Pediatrics. Lastly, a minimum of a three year fellowship must be attained in pediatric oncology.

Like other healthcare providers, pediatric oncologists may become members of professional organizations in order to network and collaborate with others. An example of an organization includes The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Furthermore, some pediatric oncologists also specialize in hematology (the study of blood) so they treat and diagnose blood disorders in addition to treating cancer to expand their scope of knowledge.

Families will usually visit pediatric oncologists if their child’s primary care physicians suspect that the child has cancer. During the first visit, pediatric oncologists typically obtain information about the child’s symptoms. If the child has already been diagnosed with cancer, then treatment options and the next steps will be discussed.

Some children that fight cancer do not even understand what it is or have the ability to speak. Health literacy rates in the general public in the United States is low. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 12% of adults in the United States have a highly proficient health literacy understanding. Pediatric oncologists take on the difficult role of treating children with diseases that children are not even aware of and keeping parents relaxed.

The personality that pediatric oncologists possess is extremely vital because they need to be caring, compassionate, and understanding. A Company that is involved in spreading information about occupations and hiring, technical qualities that make pediatric oncologists successful include: observational skills, problem-solving, in-depth knowledge of the field and the ability to remain up to date.

Without pediatric oncologists, there would be many misunderstandings between families and doctors as other professionals may not have the unique skills of these doctors. Pediatric oncologists bring smiles on families’ faces and give them comfort during times of distress and confusion.

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-a-pediatric-oncologist

https://rockymountainhospitalforchildren.com/health-education/what-is-pediatric-oncology.dot

https://www.betterteam.com/pediatric-oncologist-job-description#:~:text=To%20be%20a%20successful%20Pediatric,excellent%20interpersonal%20and%20communication%20skills.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1863546/#:~:text=Abstract,chemotherapy%20groups%20furthered%20its%20development

https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/learn/UnderstandingLiteracy.html