Childhood cancer

What is Childhood Cancer?
Cancer in children is rare, as about 99% of cancers occur in adults. Statistics show that 1 in 285 children may develop cancer, whereas in adults, 1 in 3 people may be affected by cancer in their lifetime. Childhood cancer refers to cancers that occur in children and can affect any part of their body. While the exact cause remains unknown, childhood cancers can behave differently from cancers in adults, even if they affect the same body parts.

Types of Childhood Cancer

‍
The most common cancers in children under the age of 15 include:

• Leukemia (blood cancer) – 28% (AML, ALL)
• Brain and spinal cord tumors – 27%
• Glial tumors
• Astrocytoma
• Oligodendroglioma
• Ependymoma
• Choroid plexus carcinoma
• Oligoastrocytoma
• Glioblastoma
• Mixed glial neuronal tumors
• Ganglioglioma
• Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma
• Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma
• Anaplastic ganglioglioma
• Neural tumors
• Gangliocytoma
• Neurocytoma
• Embryonal tumors
• Medulloblastoma
• Medulloepithelioma
• Ependymoblastoma
• Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid tumor
• Pineal tumors
• Pineocytoma
• Neuroblastoma – 6%
• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) – 6%
• Wilms tumor (kidney cancer) – 5%
• Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) – 3%
• Rhabdomyosarcoma (muscle cancer) – 3%
• Germ cell tumors – 3%
• Retinoblastoma (eye cancer) – 2%
• Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) – 2%
• Ewing’s sarcoma (bone cancer) – 1%
• Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) – 1%

For children between the ages of 15 and 19, common cancers include:

• Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors – 21%
• Hodgkin Lymphoma – 12%
• Thyroid cancer – 11%
• Germ cell tumors (testicular and ovarian) – 10%
• Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma – 7%
• Soft tissue sarcoma – 7%
• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) – 6%
• Bone tumors – 5%
• Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) – 4%
• Melanoma (skin cancer) – 3%

Statistics

‍
In the United States, approximately 9,910 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer every year. Among teens aged 15-19, around 5,280 are diagnosed annually.

Survival Rate

‍
Advancements in treatment have led to an overall five-year survival rate of 85% for children and 86% for teenagers.

Risk Factors

‍
While the exact causes of childhood cancers are often unknown, some genetic conditions can increase the likelihood of developing cancer in children. Unlike adult cancers, many of which can be linked to lifestyle or environmental factors, childhood cancers are usually not preventable.

Symptoms

‍
Symptoms of cancer in children may vary but often include:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent headaches, sometimes with early morning vomiting
• Swelling or pain in bones, joints, or limbs
• Persistent lumps or masses, especially in the abdomen, chest, or neck
• Easy bruising or unusual bleeding
• Constant infections
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Sudden vision changes
• Persistent fever

Diagnosis

• Blood tests: Routine blood tests such as CBC (Complete Blood Count) can reveal abnormalities in blood cell counts, indicating leukemia or other cancers.
• Biopsy: Removing a small part of suspicious tissue to examine under a microscope is the only definitive way to diagnose cancer.
• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy: Used when there are abnormalities in the blood cell counts, bone marrow aspiration involves drawing out the liquid part of the bone marrow, while a biopsy involves taking a solid tissue sample.
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap): A sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is taken to check for cancer cells or other abnormalities in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord.
• Imaging tests: These may include ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, and PET CT scans to detect tumors or metastasis.

Treatment

‍
Treatment for childhood cancer depends on various factors, but the most common methods include:

1. Surgery: Removing the tumor along with some surrounding healthy tissue. Even after surgery, other treatments may be needed to ensure no cancer cells remain.
2. Chemotherapy: Using drugs to destroy cancer cells. The treatment regimen may involve one or more chemotherapy drugs.
3. Immunotherapy: Using the body’s immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.
4. Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays are used to kill cancer cells. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is the most commonly used method.
5. Bone marrow or stem cell transplantation: Healthy hematopoietic stem cells are transplanted into the bone marrow to help the body produce healthy blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation.

Follow-up Care

‍
After completing cancer treatment, regular follow-up tests are essential to manage side effects, detect cancer recurrence, and monitor overall health. These tests include physical exams, blood tests, and imaging scans.

‍

Childhood cancer