Is better treatment available elsewhere?
Children's cancers are rare and the doctors working in the specialist centres that treat them know what is going on in other centres. That way if any better treatment becomes available, everyone can change. There is also close contact with workers in America and Europe so that we keep each other up-to-date with progress.

Are there wonder cures?
From time to time you may see in the newspapers or on television claims for some new 'wonder cure', often from abroad. Occasionally the reports are about genuine advances in cancer treatment by reputable people, and as a rule cancer centres will know something about them. More often reports can be misleading, and give false claims for success. If you have questions about the value of these 'cures', do discuss them with your child's doctor. Never feel they will be offended by your questions. They will take your questions seriously and give you honest advice.

If treatment fails?
In spite of all the improvements in the treatment of cancer, some children still die from the disease. Occasionally this is the result of a severe infection caught during treatment, but usually it is because the disease comes back and no longer responds to treatment. There is usually plenty of warning when this is happening so that careful plans can be made. Sometimes another well-established treatment is available. If this is not the case, you may be asked if you would like your child to be part of a study trying out a new drug. This may or may not help your child, but could be of benefit to future children. This is entirely your choice, and you may feel that the right decision for your child is to stop all chemotherapy. Often children and their families prefer it if death can happen at home rather than in hospital. In this case, the child's doctor and the hospital will be in close communication. Any pain can be controlled by drugs so that death, when it does occur, is usually a gentle lapse into a coma. Family doctors, community nurses and social workers will give advice and help with any arrangements that have to be made.

What about scientific research?
Many blood samples and bone marrow or tumour biopsies are needed to find out what is wrong with your child. Most of these are needed to make the right diagnosis. Spare samples may be used anonymously for research into childhood cancer. Some samples may be frozen and stored for future use, when new research techniques become available.

The research may be carried out at the centre where your child is treated. This type of research takes a long time, so you are unlikely to hear the results. The samples will, however, be used to increase our knowledge about the causes of childhood cancer and its treatment. This research will, hopefully, improve the outlook for future patients.