Pediatric Oncology
Pediatric Oncology is primarily focused on providing supportive care during the treatment of underlying malignancies in children. The exact causes of most childhood cancers remain unknown, but approximately 5% of childhood cancers are linked to inherited genetic mutations that can be passed from parents to their children. Like adult cancers, many pediatric cancers develop due to mutations in genes that regulate cell growth, leading to uncontrolled proliferation and cancer. While in adults, these mutations are often triggered by long-term exposure to cancer-causing substances and the cumulative effects of aging, in children, the causes are typically less understood and may differ.