The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering encouraging news for families after a new report found that the rate of child and teen cancer deaths has dropped in the United States.
Dr. Daghistani, the medical director of pediatric oncology at Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute, has been working with children for more than 35 years.
He told NBC6 he is optimistic about the progress in treating childhood cancer.
“When you diagnose a child with cancer, it’s like an earthquake or a hurricane or tornado happened to the whole family,” said Daghistani. “Now, 30 years later, out of 10, thank God, we only lose one, so there has been significant progress. But still losing one is like losing the whole world."
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While childhood cancers are rare, in 2021, it hit 9-year-old Cassie Lazo and her family.
Cassie was diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumor, a rare kidney cancer that mainly affects children.
“Everything changed. The new normal became- going into the hospital getting treatment Monday through Thursday,” said Cassie's mother Francis Lazo. “Your mind is going a million miles and your world just stops right there."
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Daghistani told NBC6 when it happens in children, 99% there’s no reason for it.
"Parents always blame themselves, so I would say, get yourself out of the blame game and you need to focus on your child and your child’s treatment," Daghistani said.
Pediatric oncologists say treatment for certain cancers has come a long way contributing to a drop in cancer death rates for children and teenagers in the United States.
According to the CDC, the overall cancer death rates for children and teenagers dropped 24% over the past two decades and in that time there was also a 47% drop in leukemia deaths, the most common cancer in children.
But there were some disparities.
While all races saw death rates drop between 2001 and 2011, only White youth and those under 10 years old continued to drop significantly.
Doctors cite a lack of access to cutting-edge cancer treatments or treatment centers for the gap.
For Cassie, she is back to school and doing what she loves.
“I like to play games, I like to go outside and I like to eat,” she said.
Francis says she is grateful for the team at Miami Cancer Institute who saved her daughter’s life.
“This can happen to anyone and it’s just we have to be vigilant with our kids,” she said.
