Roles and concerns of pediatric surgeons in the management of pediatric solid tumors

Abstract

Pediatric cancer treatment is gradually getting centralized. This is also true for solid tumor management. Pediatric surgeons play a remarkable role in the treatment of solid tumors. The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare has designated pediatric cancer Base Hospitals and affiliated hospitals. The Base Hospitals seem to be satisfied with pediatric surgeons in terms of their quality and numbers, however, the affiliated hospitals do not. This raises concerns about regional disparities in pediatric solid tumor treatment. For pediatric surgeons, acquiring pediatric cancer treatment certification is not easy, and there is a discrepancy between the ideal, which the Ministry depicts, and the reality. The author raise issues related to centralization through the distribution of pediatric surgeons. Pediatric surgical services should be centralized in the core hospitals in every region. Creating an organization including abundant surgeons with specialties is the key to centralization and equalization on the treatment of childhood cancer.