A diagnosis changes your life, but understanding your options is the first step. Read our guide on navigating the new world of modern cancer therapies.

Modern Cancer Care

A diagnosis changes your life, but understanding your options is the first step. Read our guide on navigating the new world of modern cancer therapies.

Personalized cancer treatments for children, including robotic surgery and targeted therapy. Explore the multidisciplinary rehabilitation program at LIV Hospital.

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Cancer: Treatment and Rehabilitation

Why Choose LIV Hospital for Cancer Care ?

Choosing the right care for your child’s cancer is a critical decision. At LIV Hospital, we offer specialized care through a dedicated Pediatric Oncology Council. This council ensures every patient benefits from the combined knowledge of pediatric oncologists, surgeons, radiation specialists, and support staff. Our focus is on delivering precise, advanced treatment while minimizing the impact on your child’s developing body and future health. This commitment to multidisciplinary, child-centered care is our advantage.

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Medical Treatment Options for Children

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Treatment plans for childhood cancer are highly customized because these cancers are different from adult types. The goal is to destroy cancer cells using the most effective combination of medications.

  • Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill fast-growing cancer cells throughout the body. It is often given in cycles to allow the child’s body to recover.
  • Targeted Therapy is a modern approach that attacks specific vulnerabilities or markers unique to the cancer cells. This precision often leads to fewer side effects on healthy tissues.
  • Immunotherapy works by boosting the child’s own immune system to help it find and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
  • A Bone Marrow Transplant may be necessary for specific blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma, especially when the disease is aggressive or returns.
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Minimally Invasive Procedures

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LIV Hospital prioritizes advanced, minimally invasive techniques to treat tumors, reducing recovery time and minimizing scarring.

  • Robotic-Assisted Surgery is used by our surgeons to remove solid tumors with extreme precision. The tiny instruments and high-definition vision allow for complex operations through very small incisions.
  • This approach is particularly beneficial for children, leading to significantly less pain, a lower risk of infection, and much shorter hospital stays.
  • For blood cancers, central venous access lines are inserted through a simple procedure to deliver medicine easily without repeated needle pokes.

Surgical Interventions and Radiation

Surgery and radiation are key components of treatment for most solid tumors.

  • Tumor Resection: Surgical oncologists remove the tumor and a margin of surrounding tissue. Our specialists focus on limb preservation and protecting healthy tissue in a growing child.
  • Radiation Therapy uses highly focused energy beams to eliminate cancer cells or shrink tumors. LIV Hospital’s Radiation Oncology planning is meticulous, ensuring the developing organs and spine are protected during treatment. This precision is vital for long-term health.

Rehabilitation and Recovery

The journey to wellness continues after active treatment ends. LIV Hospital offers a robust, personalized rehabilitation and survivorship program. Our comprehensive team addresses the physical and emotional impact of cancer treatment.

Pre-Habilitation (Before Treatment Begins)

Purpose: To strengthen the patient before surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation to improve outcomes and reduce side effects.

   Activities:

    • Physical Conditioning: Guided exercises to build strength and endurance.
    • Nutritional Counseling: Optimizing diet to prepare the body for treatment.
    • Psychological Support: Counseling to reduce anxiety and build mental resilience.
    • Education: Informing patients about what to expect and how to manage potential side effects.

Acute Rehabilitation (During Active Treatment)

Focus shifts to managing side effects and maintaining function.

  • Physical Therapy: To combat fatigue, maintain muscle mass, and preserve range of motion (especially important during radiation or after surgery).
  • Occupational Therapy: Helping patients perform daily activities (like dressing, cooking) more easily, especially if mobility is affected.
  • Nutritional Support: Managing nausea, mouth sores, taste changes, and weight loss with personalized diet plans and, if necessary, feeding tubes.
  • Pain Management: A dedicated team uses medications, nerve blocks, and complementary therapies to keep pain under control.

Post-Treatment Rehabilitation (After Active Treatment)

This is the most intensive phase of recovery, focusing on reclaiming one’s life.

   Physical Recovery:

  • Structured Exercise Programs: Tailored plans to rebuild strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.
  • Lymphedema Management: Specialized therapy for patients who have had lymph nodes removed, using manual drainage, compression garments, and exercises.
  • Cancer-Related Fatigue Management: Specific strategies to gradually increase energy levels.
  • Cognitive Rehabilitation: Addressing chemo brain – issues with memory, concentration, and processing speed – through cognitive exercises and strategies.

Psycho-Emotional Support:

  • Oncology Psychologists/Counselors: Individual and group therapy to address anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and body image issues.
    • Support Groups: Connecting with other survivors for shared experiences and mutual support.
  • Nutritional Rehabilitation:
    Guidance on healthy eating for recovery, managing long-term side effects, and reducing the risk of recurrence.
  • Return to Work/Social Life: Vocational counseling and strategies to reintegrate into professional and social environments.

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cancer

Recovery Time and Monitoring Protocols

Recovery time is not a single period but a series of overlapping phases. Liv Hospital would manage expectations by framing recovery as a marathon, not a sprint.

Factors Influencing Recovery Time:

  • Cancer Type and Stage: Early-stage cancers typically have shorter recovery times than advanced stages.
  • Treatments Received: A patient who had only surgery will have a different timeline than one who had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
  • Patient’s Overall Health: Age, pre-existing conditions (like diabetes or heart disease), and fitness level before diagnosis play a significant role.
  • Individual Response: People heal at different rates and experience side effects with varying intensity.

General Phases of Recovery Time:

cancer

Initial Recovery (First 3-6 Months)

  • Focus: Healing from the immediate effects of treatment (surgery, chemo, radiation).
  • What to Expect: This is often the most challenging period. Patients work on managing pain, rebuilding basic strength and endurance, and adapting to any new physical limitations. Fatigue is often significant.
  • Typical Activities: Light physical therapy, occupational therapy for daily tasks, nutritional stabilization, and initial psychological adjustment.

Mid-Term Recovery (6 Months – 2 Years)

  • Focus: Regaining function and returning to normal life.
  • What to Expect: Energy levels gradually improve. Rehabilitation becomes more active, focusing on strength training, cardiovascular fitness, and managing long-term side effects like lymphedema or neuropathy. Many patients return to work (often part-time initially) during this phase.
  • Typical Activities: More intensive gym-based exercises, cognitive rehab if needed, and deeper psychological work on body image and fear of recurrence.

Long-Term Recovery & Survivorship (2+ Years and Beyond)

  • Focus: Wellness, prevention of recurrence, and managing late effects.
  • What to Expect: The patient is largely recovered but may still deal with persistent side effects. The goal shifts to long-term health maintenance.
  • Typical Activities: Independent maintenance exercise, lifelong dietary habits, and regular surveillance monitoring.

30
Years of
Excellence

Trusted Worldwide

With patients from across the globe, we bring over three decades of medical expertise and hospitality to every individual who walks through our doors.  

Book a Free Certified Online Doctor Consultation

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the treatment options for childhood cancer?

Treatment is highly specific but generally includes chemotherapy, surgery to remove tumors, and targeted radiation. Newer, precise methods like targeted therapy and immunotherapy are also key components of modern care.

How long does treatment and rehabilitation take?

Treatment duration varies greatly; some chemotherapy protocols, like those for leukemia, can last over a year. Rehabilitation begins immediately and continues for as long as necessary to restore the child’s full physical and mental capabilities.

Will my child need surgery for their condition?

Surgery is necessary to remove most solid tumors, such as neuroblastoma or bone tumors. For blood cancers, like leukemia, surgery is generally not needed. At LIV Hospital, we use robotic and minimally invasive techniques when possible.

What medications are used to treat the disease?

The main medications are chemotherapy drugs. Other key medications include targeted agents and immunotherapies, which offer a more precise way to fight cancer cells than traditional chemotherapy alone.

What can I expect during recovery from treatment?

Recovery involves a period of intense physical and emotional rest, supported by personalized rehabilitation. You can also expect long-term follow-up visits with the oncologist to monitor for late effects and ensure sustained health.

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