Here's What's Hot On CBS11TV.COM:
Sep 4, 2008 3:19 pm US/Central
New Research Focuses On Cancer In Children
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
Most children with cancer take medications developed for adults.
In many cases it's their only choice. But some parents have discovered an alternative.
It boils down to this. It isn't profitable for drug companies to market these types of medicines for children. As an alternative, many parents are turning to medical studies to help their little ones suffering with the potentially deadly disease.
Six-year-old Chance Thornton is one of the 2,500 children diagnosed each year with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is the most common type of leukemia. A major complication is infections.
According to pediatric oncologist Tamra Slone, the patients can have "bacteria in their blood stream, pneumonia, urinary track infections, and they can have fungal infections."
Chemotherapy causes diabetes in children, creating theses infections. Chance is participating in a study at Children's Medical Center Dallas.
"We believe children with pre-diabetes and diabetes during treatment are the ones getting more infections and so with our study we are trying to prove that," said Dr. Slone.
Chance's dad, Lance Thornton, did not hesitate to enroll him in the study.
"We immediately said yes," said Thornton. "He is doing well. We have been very blessed over the last 3 months, and he continues to improve. We're on track with our treatment plan.
Parents are often surprised to learn that their child's treatment may include medications developed for adults, not children.
"There is not a lot of incentive for the drug company to try and market medication specifically for pediatrics because there's not a lot of financial incentive," said Dr. Slone.
About 13,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. For children like Chance, there are good medications. For those whose cancer returns, there is a need for new medications.
"There are not a lot of good options for a lot of children when their cancer comes back," said Dr. Slone.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
