Evelyn Owens' brave battle with cancer is capturing the hearts of everyone around her.

At only 6 years old, Evelyn was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer.

Evelyn's family traveled from their home in Oregon to Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona where doctors are using cutting-edge technology that's revolutionizing cancer treatment for many patients like her.

Fighting cancer is tough.

Evelyn proved she's tougher.

Watch: Cancer is tough. Evelyn Owens is tougher

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (2:11) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Fighting cancer with the spirit of a warrior and a smile

No matter what life throws at her, Evelyn's parents say she just keeps on smiling. "That's how she looks 99% of the time even if she doesn't feel good," says her mom, Claire Owens. Evelyn's dad agrees. "She's very, very tough," says Austin Owens.

Evelyn's toughness was put to the test when pathology results revealed she had cancer.

"Everybody thought it was a cyst," recalls Claire. "Even after surgery they said it was a cyst, and then the pathology came back as cancer."

What is rhabdomyosarcoma?

Additional tests showed the cancer was rhabdomyosarcoma. RMS begins as a growth of cells in soft tissue, like muscle. It can start anywhere in the body. RMS most often occurs in children younger than the age of ten. Symptoms depend on where the cancer starts and can include lumps under the skin, redness, swelling, and pain.

As part of her treatment, Evelyn's doctors recommended radiation with innovative cancer-fighting technology called proton beam therapy. Her family traveled from their home in Oregon to Mayo Clinic in Arizona so Evelyn could receive the cutting-edge therapy.

Fighting cancer with proton beam therapy

"Proton therapy allows us to treat the area we need to treat completely while protecting many of the normal tissues nearby," says radiation oncologist, Dr. Safia Ahmed. "And for pediatric patients that's very important because all of their tissues are growing."

Proton beam therapy attacks and destroys cancer cells with radiation by targeting the precise location in the body where the cancer is located. "And by minimizing radiation dose and radiation dose side effects to these tissues as they are growing is key. It improves their (patients) quality of life," says Dr. Ahmed.

Evelyn underwent 24 treatments of proton beam therapy over six weeks. Her parents say through it all, she stayed tough and positive.

"I can't imagine going through this with anybody else but you," says Austin about his daughter. "You should be the poster child for going through cancer and cancer treatments. I'm so proud of you and love you so much," he adds.

Evelyn is now 7 years old and back home in Oregon with her family. She will still require some chemotherapy treatment. Doctors say her prognosis looks good. Evelyn will undergo regular monitoring to make sure the cancer does not come back.

These days Evelyn is back to enjoying the things she loves most, like riding ponies with her brother, Henry, and taking her dog, Duke, on walks.

Evelyn's smile is bigger and brighter than ever.

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 4-year-old niece recently was diagnosed with neuroblastoma after not feeling well for a few weeks. Her parents noticed her belly was swollen, so they took her to the doctor after it didn't resolve on its own. I'd never heard of this form of cancer before. What is neuroblastoma? Do children typically have surgery to treat this cancer? What can we expect?

ANSWER: Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that occurs almost only in children and develops from abnormal nerve cells. It is the most common cancer in babies under 1 year old and makes up nearly 10% of cancers in children. Neuroblastoma often happens in one of the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys. However, it also can occur in the chest and abdomen near the spine.

Sometimes children are born with neuroblastoma, and it can even be detected before birth on an ultrasound. Most commonly, it is found when children have a mass in their abdomen. They also might be tired, have fevers and not eat as much as usual. Sometimes it can cause weakness from being too close to the spinal cord.

There are multiple tests and procedures used to diagnose neuroblastoma. Children usually have imaging tests such as a CT or MRI scan to look for neuroblastoma. They also will have a urine study to look for substances that can be released by the tumor, known as homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA). Patients usually need a metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan that looks specifically for neuroblastoma and helps determine if cancer has spread to other body areas.

Before starting treatment, children may undergo a biopsy procedure so a pathologist can look at the tumor under a microscope and confirm the diagnosis. The tumor sample also is sent for special genetic testing to help identify the best treatment strategy. A bone marrow biopsy also may be performed to ensure the neuroblastoma has not spread to the bone marrow.

Neuroblastoma has a unique staging system that establishes whether a patient should be classified within a low, intermediate or high-risk group. The risk group helps determine what treatment children with neuroblastoma should receive.

In some babies and young children, neuroblastoma can be watched and may go away on its own. Surgery may be recommended for other children as the first treatment or after chemotherapy is administered to shrink the tumor.

Surgery for neuroblastoma often can be performed minimally invasively, which helps children have less pain and recover faster after their operation. Sometimes additional surgery is needed to remove neuroblastoma that has spread to other areas of the body. Some neuroblastoma tumors can wrap around essential blood vessels or other structures, requiring skilled surgical teams to remove them without causing damage.

Other treatments for neuroblastoma, besides surgery and chemotherapy, may include radiation therapy to kill cancer cells, stem cell or bone marrow transplant, and immune therapy. Children who need treatment beyond surgery usually have a type of long-term IV placed, called a central line, so they can get IV medications and check blood work without frequent pokes. Treatments for neuroblastoma often require children to be hospitalized.

Because neuroblastoma is rare and requires a tailored approach to treatment, it is essential for children to receive care from a multidisciplinary team with expertise in this disease. Seeking treatment from a center, such as Mayo Clinic, that offers clinical trials also is important so children with neuroblastoma can access new potential treatment discoveries. Mayo Clinic participates in cooperative clinical research trial networks, including the Children's Oncology Group, and is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center.

Though each person is different, neuroblastoma cancer can be effectively treated. — Dr. Stephanie Polites, Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Cancer of the nerve cells appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Dr. Wendy Allen-Rhoades is an oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, with expertise in a variety of pediatric and adolescent cancers. Her experience and research background helped her develop a promising treatment plan for Kenedi, a young patient from Wisconsin. Kenedi had a rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that can occur at any age, but most often affects children.

Using support from a 2013 Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award, Dr. Allen-Rhoades has been researching signals in the body that indicate the presence of sarcomas. This work led to her current phase 3 trial to determine whether intensifying a specific treatment can improve survival in young patients with Wilms' tumor.

"Decades ago, survival rates for children diagnosed with Wilms' tumors were low, but research for various cancer types has improved outcomes for these patients," says Dr. Allen-Rhoades.

Dr. Allen-Rhoades says that in the late 1960s, the survival rate for children diagnosed with Wilms' tumor was approximately 20%. Thanks to the work of a research consortium first formed in 1969 to study Wilms' tumor and conduct clinical trials, the survival rate for children diagnosed with this type of cancer today is 90%."

"Physicians now routinely use molecular biomarkers to identify and assess the risk of patients diagnosed with Wilms' tumor, which allows them to better tailor therapy for each patient, provide a more accurate prognosis and ultimately improve patient outcomes," says Dr. Allen-Rhoades. She says that without the dedicated childhood cancer research that preceded Kenedi's diagnosis, it is possible she would not have had the successful outcome she has today.

Media contact: 
Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, newsbureau@mayo.edu

Watch: Kenedi's story courtesy of Conquer Cancer with the ASCO Foundation.

The post Mayo Clinic patient, physician highlighted by Conquer Cancer Foundation appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

For the third straight year, young Sophie Vanderheiden shaved her head to raise awareness, and money, for childhood cancer research during the annual St. Baldrick’s head shaving event.

Sophie Vanderheiden sits next to her dad, Eric, ready to get matching haircuts. Moments later, Eric's hair is being shaved off, and Sophie's thick, dark curls are, too. It's not a look most 9-year-old girls would sign up for. But for Sophie, losing her locks has become an important tradition. For the past three years, she's shaved her head to raise awareness, and funds, for childhood cancer research, including research taking place at Mayo Clinic. "It helps kids who have to lose their hair because they get sick, and this helps find a way for them to get better," she says.

Sophie first shaved her head back in 2017. "Our family tries to do something for a cause each year," Sophie's mom, Armanda Vanderheiden, a nurse at Mayo Clinic's Children Center, tells us. That year had been an especially difficult one for many of her patients. "A lot of kids had gotten a bad cancer diagnosis or found out their chemo wasn't working," Armanda says. She wanted to do something to help, and asked her family if they'd consider shaving their heads for St. Baldrick's Foundation, which raises funds for pediatric cancer research through head shaving events. Her family agreed, and together they raised $1,500.

Read the rest of the story.

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This story originally appeared on the In the Loop blog.

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What Tom sees across the baseball field now is Will's picture, his smiling face beaming down from the scoreboard erected in his honor at Miracle Field in northwest Rochester. The scoreboard is one of the ways Tom and his wife, Liz, are keeping Will's memory alive. "As hard as it is to lose a child, for the child to be forgotten makes it even worse," Tom tells us.

Read the rest of the story.

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This story originally appeared on the In the Loop blog.

The post In the Loop: Gone but never forgotten — keeping a child’s memory alive appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. Sarah McCarthy, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses how families cope with a devastating diagnosis. And Randall Mc Keeman, a child life specialist at Mayo Clinic, explains what child life specialists do to help children and their families cope with illness. Also on the podcast, filmmaker Ken Burns previews his documentary, "The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science." Burns is the executive producer of the film, which will air Sept. 25 from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT on PBS stations. The documentary will be rebroadcast Sept. 26 from 10 p.m. to midnight EDT. And Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, answers this question: Does aspirin help prevent stroke and heart attacks?

The post #MayoClinicRadio podcast: 9/15/18 appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Sarah McCarthy, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss how families cope with a devastating diagnosis. And Randall Mc Keeman, a child life specialist at Mayo Clinic, will explain what child life specialists do to help children and their families cope with illness. Also on the program, filmmaker Ken Burns will preview his documentary, "The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science." Burns is the executive producer of the film, which will air Sept. 25 from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT on PBS stations. The documentary will be rebroadcast Sept. 26 from 10 p.m. to midnight EDT. And Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, will answer this question: Does aspirin help prevent stroke and heart attacks?

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Sarah McCarthy, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss how families cope with a devastating diagnosis. And Randall Mc Keeman, a child life specialist at Mayo Clinic, will explain what child life specialists do to help children and their families cope with illness. Also on the program, filmmaker Ken Burns will preview his documentary, "The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science." Burns is the executive producer of the film, which will air Sept. 25 from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT on PBS stations. The documentary will be rebroadcast Sept. 26 from 10 p.m. to midnight EDT. And Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, will answer this question: Does aspirin help prevent stroke and heart attacks?

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Childhood cancer awareness / Ken Burns / Does aspirin prevent heart attack and stroke? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Listen: Mayo Clinic Radio 9/24/16

A cancer diagnosis is upsetting at any age but even more so when the patient is a child. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and on Mayo Clinic Radio, pediatric hematologist/oncologist Dr. Carola Arndt discusses the importance of research and clinical trials to improve pediatric cancer treatments. Also on the program, September is the first ever Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month. Rheumatologist Dr. Eric Matteson explains diagnosis and treatment options for rheumatic diseases. And we learn how medical marijuana is being used to treat disease symptoms and pain from addiction specialist Dr. Jon Ebbert.

The post #MayoClinicRadio Podcast: 9/24/16 appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Pediatric cancer / rheumatic diseases / medical marijuana: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.