Diagnosis of cancer is a setback not for an individual only but for the entire family. Worse is when a child gets this disease. Cancer in the child can wreak havoc in the lives of parents and family. But the good news is that the prognosis of most childhood cancers is good.
Cancer is one of the causes of morbidity in children and adolescents. The survival rate of childhood cancer depends on timely diagnosis and treatment access. Delay and inaccurate diagnosis, neglecting treatment, inaccessibility to treatment, and ignoring symptoms of relapse can lower the survival rates in childhood cancer.
Signs and symptoms of childhood cancer
Cancers in children are difficult to notice early because early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers are similar to some common diseases and injuries. Symptoms vary according to the type and area of involvement, but some common symptoms are:
- An unusual swelling
- Very easy bruising or bleeding
- Unexplained pain in a particular area of the body
- Unexplained recurrent fever and infections
- Unexplained weight loss
- Sudden vision changes
- Unexplained headaches associated with vomiting
- Fatigue and easily tired
- Increase swelling and pain in the joints and bones
Common cancers in children and adolescents
The most common types of childhood cancers are:
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Brain and spinal cord cancer
- Bone cancer
- Retinoblastoma
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Kidney cancer
Leukemia
Leukemia is the most common cancer in children and adolescents. The most common leukemias in childhood are acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). ALL is more common than AML in children. Chronic leukemia is rare in children and adolescents. In leukemia, blood-forming cells in the bone marrow grow unnaturally. It results in an abnormal increase in the numbers of white blood cells (WBCs), which interrupts the normal functioning of our cells and blood. The most common symptoms of leukemia are:
- Unexplained fever and night sweats
- Feeling tired all the time
- Sudden weight loss and loss of appetite
- Bruising and bleeding very easily
- Tiny red dots under the skin (petechiae)
Brain and spinal cord tumors
Brain and spinal cord tumor is the second most common childhood malignancy. There are many types of brain and spinal cord tumors depending on the site and cells involved, such as:
- Brain stem glioma (glial cell tumor)
- Medulloblastoma (cerebellum tumor)
- Astrocytoma (astrocyte cells tumor)
- Ependymomas (ependymal cells)
Some of the symptoms of brain and spinal cord tumors are:
- Recurrent headaches and back pain
- Numbness and weakness in limbs
- Seizures
- Noticeable changes in personality
- Loss of bladder and bowel control mainly seen in spinal cord tumor
- Nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty in walking straight and uncoordinated movements
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is the third most common childhood malignancy. It is similar to leukemia, which is as explained above, is also a cancer of the lymphocytes of bone marrow. But both differ in the cancer location. Lymphoma generally occurs in the lymph vessels and nodes. On the other hand, leukemia occurs in the bone marrow and blood. Two types of lymphoma are:
- Hodgkin (HL)
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)
In these two types, NHL is more common in children. It occurs more commonly between the ages of ten and twenty years. The most common symptoms of lymphomas are:
- Swelling in lymph nodes, mainly in the neck, armpits, or groin area
- Swelling on face
- Pain or swelling in the abdomen
- Breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, and occasional cough
- Unexplained fever and night sweating
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Unexplained weight loss
- Tiredness and loss of energy
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer in immature nerve cells, mainly seen in infants and kids under ten years of age. Symptoms of neuroblastoma depend on the location and the stage of cancer but are:
- Lumps or swellings in the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis region
- Bulging of eyes and black eye
- Upset stomach, loss of appetite, diarrhea, or constipation
- Fever, cough, troubled breathing
- Fatigue, weakness, a problem during moving and balancing
Kidneys tumor
Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor) and renal cell carcinomas are the most common childhood kidney cancers. Wilms tumor is the most common kidney cancer below five years of age. The prevalence of Wilms tumor is more in girls than boys. Common signs and symptoms of renal tumors are:
- Lump or swelling, and pain in the abdomen
- Weight loss and decrease in appetite
- Fever and nausea
- Constipation
- Blood in urine
Bone cancer
Childhood bone cancer generally starts in bone and cartilage cells. But it can spread to other parts of the body. The most common bone cancers in children are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Osteosarcoma occurs at the end of the long bones. Ewing sarcoma occurs more commonly in the pelvis, sternum, ribs, spine, skull, and middle part of the long bones of arms or legs. Children with bone cancer show various symptoms, including but not limited to:
- Bone pain: It is a prominent symptom of bone tumor, which can worsen during the night or some physical activity.
- Soft swelling or lump
- Difficulty in moving
- Bones become prone to fracture
- Unexplained fever and malaise
Retinoblastoma
Eye tumor or retinoblastoma most commonly occurs in children less than two years. It may affect one or both eyes. Symptoms of retinoblastoma are not that evident. A paediatrician may diagnose it accidentally during a routine check-up. Some of the common signs are:
- Missing ‘Red-eye’ reflex: Rather than appearing as red, the center of the pupil of the eye appears as white or light pink while taking a photograph
- Swelling and redness in the eye
- Eyes appear to be looking in different directions
Sometimes these symptoms may also appear in diseases or injuries other than retinoblastoma.
Childhood cancer can be the most frightening thing that we can imagine. But the silver lining here is that many of them are curable now. According to some studies, more than 80 percent of children with cancer have a survival rate of more than five years or longer.
If you observe any abnormal changes in your child, consult immediately with your doctor.