Diagnosis

• It is extremely important to obtain as much information as possible about the nature of tumours in children and the extent of disease in order to provide the best treatment. This often requires fresh tumour tissue to undertake sophisticated cytogenetic, immunologic and molecular diagnostic studies.
• Treatment is dependent on the type of cancer, the extent (stage of disease), and the age of the child.
• The treatment is often complex, and therapy changes as new information becomes available.

For these reasons, children with a suspected diagnosis of cancer in British Columbia should be referred to BC Children’s Hospital.