Recent advances in childhood cancer.

Major advances during the past 25 years in the treatment of childhood cancer have resulted in a dramatic improvement in disease-free survival for more than 60% of diagnosed patients. Advances in both laboratory and clinical research have demanded a concomitant expansion of nursing skill and practice to keep pace in this area. This article strives to provide an overview of recent advances in pediatric oncology in both the scientific and clinical arenas and to highlight some of the contributions made by pediatric oncology nurses.