16
Section 2
Blood Tests
Children are reviewed continually on a weekly basis to check blood counts and
keep their haemoglobin levels up, and we attended the Royal Hospital for Sick
Children in Edinburgh once a week for Katie’s blood tests.
The chemotherapy treatment reduces the number of blood cells in the body and
if there are too few red blood cells a patient becomes anaemic, tired and pale. If
there are too few white blood cells,which fght infection, the patient is at increased
risk of infection. Since your child will pick up infections more easily than normal
when their blood count is low, it’s important to be vigilant and regularly check
body temperature – 38 degrees or more and they may have an infection which will
need to be treated with antibiotics. If you are concerned about your child at any
stage during treatment, even if their temperature is not high, you must contact the
hospital team.
After four weeks of treatment Katie’s blood count was struggling and after fve
weeks her platelet count was very low.This can cause excessive bleeding so she
had to receive a transfusion.The chemotherapy treatment was stopped at this
point but Katie continued radiotherapy for the full six weeks.
Remember that you should not feel pressured into your child receiving any
form of treatment as this decision is entirely up to the family. Make sure you
understand the implications of all the possible options so that you’re making
as informed a choice as possible.
Clinical Trials
Patients diagnosed with cancer may be eligible to take part in a clinical trial. If
there is a trial open for children with DIPG (at the time of going to press there is
not) you will be offered the opportunity to participate.The aim of clinical trials is to
improve treatment for the future, and your medical team will be able to discuss this
with you in more detail.This may involve some patients in the trial using different
combinations of treatment, so that doctors can assess what works best.Trials are
run in several treatment centres and are strictly regulated by national organisations.
Participation in clinical trials is entirely voluntary, and if you decide not to take part
your child will be treated according to standard guidelines.