Paediatric Oncology at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Malad
Paediatric oncology is the branch of medicine that identifies and treats cancers in infants, children and adolescents. CritiCare Asia Hospitals is a paediatric cancer hospital in Mumbai where children with suspected or confirmed cancer are looked after by a dedicated team. These cancers behave very differently from adult cancers, both in how they develop and in how they respond to treatment. Many arise from developing tissues, not from damage built up over decades, so the common types are leukaemias, embryonal tumours and certain brain tumours. Our Malad centre provides advanced paediatric cancer treatment in Malad, Mumbai, with parents kept informed at every step.
Early diagnosis remains the biggest challenge, because first symptoms are often vague and look like ordinary childhood illness. The gap between the first symptom and a confirmed diagnosis matters a great deal, which is why awareness among parents and treating doctors counts.
Recognising the Early Signs
Childhood cancers rarely present the way adult cancers do. A limp can look like a sprain, and lasting tiredness can be put down to a growth phase. Signs that deserve closer attention include:
- Fever that persists without an obvious infection
- A lump or swelling that does not go away, especially in the abdomen, neck or limbs
- Unusual bruising or bleeding, or tiny red or purple spots on the skin
- Bone pain or a limp with no clear injury
- Sudden vision changes, a white reflection in the eye, or repeated headaches with vomiting
- Unexplained weight loss or prolonged tiredness
None of these confirms cancer by itself. A symptom that has not settled within a couple of weeks is usually the cue to seek a paediatric evaluation instead of waiting it out. Families can consult our paediatric cancer specialists in Malad at CritiCare Asia Hospitals for a proper assessment.
How Childhood Cancer Is Diagnosed and Staged
Confirming a diagnosis is a step-by-step process, not a single test.
- Blood tests to look for abnormal cell counts or markers
- Imaging such as ultrasound, CT or MRI, to locate a tumour and see how far it extends
- Tissue biopsy, in most cases, to confirm the exact type of cancer under the microscope
After this comes staging, which means finding out how far the disease has spread and how it is likely to respond to treatment. Earlier-stage disease usually allows a wider range of options, so timing matters more here than in most other areas of oncology. Parents can consult paediatric oncologists in Mumbai at CritiCare Asia Hospitals for detailed evaluation.
Types of Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancers fall into categories that differ from those most common in adults.
- Leukaemias, which are cancers of the blood and bone marrow and the most common childhood group
- Brain and central nervous system tumours
- Neuroblastoma, which arises from immature nerve cells, usually in infants and young children
- Wilms tumour, a kidney cancer specific to early childhood
- Lymphomas, which affect the lymphatic system
- Bone and soft tissue sarcomas, including osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma
- Retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer in very young children
Each behaves differently and needs its own diagnostic and treatment pathway. Families can speak to our paediatric haemato-oncology specialists at CritiCare Asia Hospitals about what applies to their child.
Treatment Options for Childhood Cancer
Treatment is rarely a single intervention. It is usually a combination, sequenced with care.
- Chemotherapy, often the backbone of treatment for many childhood cancers
- Surgery, to remove tumours where they can be operated on
- Radiation therapy, used selectively because developing tissue is sensitive
- Supportive care, covering nutrition, infection prevention and pain management, alongside active treatment throughout
The plan is built around the specific cancer type, its stage and the child's overall health, never applied as a fixed protocol.
Paediatric Oncology Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Malad
Caring for a child with cancer means holding two things together: clinical precision, and a real understanding of what the family is going through. Care at CritiCare Asia Hospitals begins with a thorough work-up to confirm the cancer type and stage, followed by a plan built around the individual child. Treatment is rarely short, so families are supported through it and not simply handed a protocol and a follow-up date. Decisions about chemotherapy, surgery or radiation are explained in ways that make sense to parents and, where appropriate, to the child. Nutrition, infection control and emotional wellbeing are treated as part of the treatment plan itself. If your child has symptoms that concern you, book a consultation with the paediatric oncology team at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Malad.