Childhood Cancer

Cancer Information Summaries: Pediatric Treatment
Read the full article on the National Cancer Institute website.

Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer
Read the full article on the National Cancer Institute website.

Survivors of Childhood Cancer – Long term effects.

This study published in The Lancet in 2017 estimated that, on average, a survivor of childhood cancer will experience 11 non-fatal chronic health conditions including an average of 3 severe or life-threatening conditions.

A review into more than 1,200 published articles found that

• The average life expectancy of childhood cancer survivors is 30 per cent lower than the general population.
• Childhood cancer survivors are up to six times more likely to develop a secondary cancer, compared with the general population.

In general, cancer survivors are also more likely to develop long term conditions, such as heart problems, lung scarring, secondary cancers and frailty. They will also get age-associated illnesses sooner than the general population, the analysis suggests.

The researchers say much of the illness and accelerated ageing is down to harsh treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which damage the body’s ability to fight back from illness and repair itself.

Some cancer drugs were also found to be associated with hearing loss, reduced thyroid gland activity, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, muscular weakness, arthritis, kidney and liver diseases, chronic constipation, and infertility. according to this 2017 study

While ageing prematurely is a better alternative to dying prematurely, the use of effective non-toxic treatments would, obviously, be a far better approach.

Complementary therapies for Childhood Cancer

Diet and Nutrition

This 2020 study concluded:Poor nutritional status is linked to adverse outcomes both during the treatment of childhood cancer and extending into survivorship. In the course of therapy, both undernutrition and overnutrition are widely recognised as contributors to increased morbidity and mortality, while during survivorship, overnutrition is one of the risk factors for a myriad of debilitating chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Customising and optimising nutritional status during and after treatment can be used to prevent or mitigate treatment-related complications, improve quality of life, and long-term survival for patients and survivors of childhood cancer.

The primary goal for nutritional intervention is to sustain and promote normal growth and development while the patient is receiving the necessary anticancer therapy.

Proper nutrition can help childhood cancer patients and survivors:

• Feel better and sleep better;
• Work better with their healthcare team;
• Reduce irritability and improve dealing with treatment and side effects, both immediate and long-term;
• Heal and recover faster;
• Lessen risk of infection;
• Increase strength and energy;
• Reach and maintain a healthy body weight; and
• Maintain the body’s storage of nutrients.

Learning and promoting healthy eating habits can make a positive life-long impact on everyone involved. A 2021 study indicated that 94% of patients were not consuming an adequate intake of vegetables, and half of the vegetables that were consumed were labeled as “discretionary” (i.e., potato chips or french fries).

Some of the most common eating and nutrition problems caused by cancer and cancer treatment include:

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dehydration and loss of fluids
• Mouth sores
• Dry mouth or thick saliva
• Changes in smell or taste
• Weight changes
• Trouble swallowing

Ways to help your child get more nutrients:

• Encourage small snacks and meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals.
• Avoid drinking fluids with meals since this can make them feel full and eat less. Focus on drinking fluids between meals instead.
• Try to feed your child their biggest meal when they are most hungry. If they have a big appetite in the morning, focus on feeding their biggest meal at breakfast.
• Let your child help plan or prepare their snacks and meals.
• Invite your child’s friends to eat together.
• Encourage physical activity and play to increase their appetite.
• Always have food on hand. 
• Try blander foods. 
• Experiment with food temperatures. 
• Avoid acidic foods. 
• Make foods easier to swallow – try puréed foods, soups, shakes, or smoothies. A straw may help them go down easier.

What should children eat?

There is universal agreement among healthcare experts that an optimal diet includes a range of healthy foods including lots of fruit and vegetables and no junk food or drinks.

The Mediterranean Diet meets all these dietary requirements.
Learn more about Mediterranean Diet and other foods.

Sources:
American Cancer Society
Kids Health.org
Coalition Against Childhood Cancer

Physical Exercise

According to the American Cancer Society, children and adolescents should be active for at least 60 minutes per day at least five days per week, doing activities such as running, hopping, dancing, and swimming.
Learn more on Physical Exercise page.

Shark Liver Oil

This study says: Shark liver oil contains a higher amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). They have multiple in vitro and in vivo properties: they reduce the side effects of radiotherapy, inhibit tumor growth, and both stimulate and modulate immune responses. Significant cytotoxic activity was noticed for the oil used for this study which provided its potential use against human neuroblastoma and its use as an alternative for the chemotherapy currently being employed against neuroblastoma with severe side effects. 

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one among the most common extra cranial solid cancers in children and the most common one during infancy with a very high severity. 

Cannabis prevents nausea and vomiting in children undergoing cancer treatment.

A study An efficient new cannabinoid antiemetic in pediatric oncology (Life Sciences, May 1995 ) found:
…the prevention of vomiting was complete, regardless of the antineoplastic protocol followed . We observed no delayed nausea or vomiting. Although the number of pediatric cancer patients treated so far is small, the total number of treatments is considerable (480 times) as most patients underwent several treatment cycles. Without the cannabinoid therapy we would have expected the patients to vomit in most treatments.
In summary, the complete success in preventing vomiting due to antineoplastic treatment in children, and the essential lack of side effects, leads us to believe that delta-8-THC at a dose considerably higher than the doses of delta-9-THC usually administered to adults, can serve as a new, inexpensive antiemetic agent in pediatric cancer chemotherapy.

You can read the full text

This safe, effective method of preventing nausea and vomiting in children has been known for decades, yet oncologists still prescribe dangerous pharmaceutical drugs instead of delta-9-THC.
Why?

Milk Thistle for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

In children with ALL with liver toxicity, Milk Thistle was associated with a trend towards significant reductions in liver toxicity. Milk Thistle does not antagonize the effects of chemotherapy agents used for the treatment of ALL, according to this study

TRAUMEEL S® for chemotherapy-induced stomatitis

A randomized, controlled clinical trial of the homeopathic medication TRAUMEEL S® in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis in children undergoing stem cell transplantation concluded: This study indicates that TRAUMEEL S may reduce significantly the severity and duration of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis in children undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

The study was conducted in 32 patients ages 3–25 years who had undergone allogeneic (16 patients) or autologous (16 patients) stem cell transplantation.

A total of five patients (33%) in the TRAUMEEL S treatment group did not develop stomatitis compared with only one patient (7%) in the placebo group. Stomatitis worsened in only 7 patients (47%) in the TRAUMEEL S treatment group compared with 14 patients (93%) in the placebo group. The mean area under the curve stomatitis scores were 10.4 in the TRAUMEEL S treatment group and 24.3 in the placebo group. This difference was statistically significant.

Other therapies

The Children With Cancer UK website has the following:

There is a wide range of complementary therapies, and some of these categories overlap. They can be broadly categorised as follows:

• alternative medical systems, such as acupuncture, homeopathy and Chinese medicine
• complex natural products, such as botanicals, and green tea
• energy therapies, such as Qi Gong, Reiki, therapeutic touch and magnet therapy
• exercise therapies, such as Tai Chi, yoga, and dance therapy
• manipulative therapies, such as chiropractic, massage, osteopathy and reflexology
• mind therapies, such as aromatherapy, art therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, imagery, mindfulness and meditation
• nutritional therapies, such as anti-oxidants, macrobiotics and vitamins
• spiritual therapies, such as prayer and healing

Page last updated January 2026