CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT CANCER: PROVIDING CARE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

Abstract

This article aimed to describe the provision of care within public health services for children undergoing cancer treatment in Brazil. The study establishes key concepts and terminology to foster an understanding of how care is delivered to children and adolescents throughout the cancer treatment journey—from diagnosis to the conclusion of the intervention. A literature review was conducted using databases and platforms such as PubMed, SciELO, Google Scholar, and Ministry of Health publications. The findings indicate that this demographic is more prone to developing embryonal neoplasms—though other types of cancer are not excluded—which can lead to atypical symptoms; consequently, this may contribute to delayed diagnoses and, by extension, delays in referrals to specialized care. Thus, diagnostic delays, along with potential screening shortcomings in primary care, hinder the achievement of better prognostic outcomes in cancer cases.