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Childhood cancer

  • Aspiring Doctors
  • Oct 1, 2020
  • 5 min read

By Mahima Bharal and Tanya Chaphekar


Children are a source of joy and hope for every family but the news of a child procuring cancer leaves many heartbroken. New data shows that around 300,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer every year in the world, in other words, a child is diagnosed with cancer every 2 minutes. Cancer remains the leading cause of death among children, thus the abundance of its research and funding continues to grow.


Causes of childhood cancer

Cancer is mainly caused by genetic changes (or DNA mutations) in a cell, which causes the cells to grow uncontrollably. This results in a mass of cells commonly known as a tumor. If left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body.


The causes of DNA mutations in most childhood cancers are unknown. Some children inherit DNA mutations from their parents that increases their risk of procuring cancer. But most childhood cancers result from mutations that occur at any stage of life due to exposure to radiations or other unknown reasons.


In adults, lifestyle-related risk factors, such as carcinogens, alcohol consumption, smoking addictions, obesity problems, etc. are the major causes of cancer. These factors usually take many years to gradually influence the risk of cancer and in turn are not thought to cause childhood cancers.

Types of childhood cancer

The most common types of childhood cancers include leukemias, brain cancers, lymphomas and solid tumours, including Wilms tumour, Ewing sarcoma, neuroblastoma, etc.




Leukemia- Blood Cancer


Leukemia, or blood cancer, is one of the most common types of childhood cancer. Our blood is formed in the bone marrow, a spongy tissue inside the bone. It forms red blood cells, which provide oxygen, white blood cells, which provide immunity, and platelets, which are responsible for blood clotting. Leukemia develops when blood cells undergo genetic mutations and multiply uncontrollably. There are two major types of Leukemia in children:

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (or Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) is caused by mutations in lymphocytes/lymphoid blast cells, which are a type of white blood cell. They grow uncontrollably and replace normal blood cells, causing a decrease in normal blood cells, which lead to the following main symptoms:

  • Fatigue and pale skin due to low count of red blood cells (anemia)

  • Excessive bleeding due to low count of platelets (thrombocytopenia)

  • Frequent infections due to low count of normal white blood cells

  • Bone pain sometimes associated with swelling

  • purple skin rash called petechiae

  • Enlarged lymph nodes

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)


Acute Myeloid Leukemia (or Acute Myelogenous Leukemia) is caused due to mutations in Myeloid blast cells (also a type of white blood cells). These grow uncontrollably and the ratio of mutated myeloid blasts to normal blood cells increases. It is very common in children. The symptoms are similar to that of ALL.



Lymphoma- Cancer of the Immune System


The immune system consists of cells called lymphocytes, which helps the body to identify and destroy unhealthy or foreign cells. Lymphocytes are mainly present in the lymphatic system, which is made up of the bone marrow, thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes (or lymph glands).

Lymphoma is caused due to mutations in lymphocytes, which grow uncontrollably and replace normal lymphocytes. These cancerous lymphocytes cannot function properly, eventually leading to a poor immune system. Lymphoma is very common in teenagers and young adults.

The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The common symptom are:

  • Swelling of the lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy). Lymph nodes are small tissues located throughout the body that store lymphocytes as a germ-filtering mechanism.The lymph nodes are usually painless and rubbery. However, it’s important to remember that children’s glands can also become swollen when they have a common infection that is caused due to a sore throat or a cold.

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath

  • Night sweats

  • Poor appetite

Lymphoma is staged as following:

Stage 1 - one group of lymph nodes affected

Stage 2 - two or more groups of nodes affected on one side of the diaphragm (a dome-shaped muscular partition separating the thorax from the abdomen)

Stage 3 - two or more groups of nodes affected on both sides of diaphragm or the lymphoma is affecting the chest.

Stage 4 - other organs like bone marrow or nervous system affected.



Solid Tumors

A tumor is a collection of cells forming a solid lump that can be found in any part of the body. These cells may further spread to other parts of the body.Solid tumors in children include Ewing sarcoma and Neuroblastoma, Other types of solid tumors include:

Brain Tumor

Brain tumors in children occur in the brain and spinal cord. The brain controls all important functions such as breathing, maintaining heart rate, moving, thinking etc.

There are different types of brain tumors based on the location of the tumor:



Typical symptoms of CNS tumors include-

  • Headaches and Vomiting especially in the morning

  • Eye movement problems and vision changes

  • Improper balance

  • Weakness in the arms or legs

  • Changes in personality

  • Seizures

  • Speech difficulties

  • Back or neck pain

Soft Tissue Sarcoma

When a cancer is developed in the connective tissues of the body, such as the muscles, fat, and fibrous tissue, they are called sarcomas. The major types of sarcoma in children are:

  • Rhabdomyosarcoma- in muscles

  • Osteosarcoma- metaphysis of long bones

  • Ewing sarcoma- diaphysis of long bones



Neuroblastoma


Neuroblastoma occurs when neuroblasts, or immature cells of the nervous system, fail to mature into normal nerve cells and grow to form a tumor, within the nervous system, disabling its control over the organs of the body.

Symptoms of Neuroblastoma can be-

  • Abdominal swelling, pain, constipation or difficulty urinating (tumor in abdomen)

  • Lump in the neck, drooping of eyelid, small pupil, and lack of sweating on the same side of the face

  • Bone pain

  • Bleeding and bruising

  • Difficulty breathing (tumor in chest)

  • Weakness or paralysis (tumor near spinal cord)



Need for research and donations


Oftentimes, childhood cancer survivors are met with relapses after suffering the harmful side effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Social activists, researchers, and health professionals are globally working to address such issues. Due to their constant unflinching efforts, we have been able to increase the survival rate of childhood cancer. Research provided accumulating information about the biological processes involved in cancer onset, growth, and spread in the body. These discoveries have further led to more effective treatment and prevention strategies.

There is still a long way to go in curing cancer and it can only be made possible with constantly funded extensive research. Therefore, by donating to research facilities we can save millions of lives, including those of young people who will shape the future.


September is celebrated as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and is symbolized by a gold ribbon, worn to commemorate the event. This campaign aims to raise support, funding, and awareness of childhood cancers. In order to help save the lives of innocent children, we can contribute by donating to cancer research and other organizations working towards the same goal.



 

Sources


New data shows a child is diagnosed with cancer every 2 minutes. (n.d.). St. Baldrick's Foundation. https://www.stbaldricks.org/blog/post/new-data-shows-a-child-is-diagnosed-with-cancer-every-2-minutes


Cancer in Children. (n.d.). Www.Who.Int. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer-in-children#:~:text=The%20problem-



About acute myeloid leukaemia | Acute myeloid leukaemia | Cancer Research UK. (2019). Cancerresearchuk.Org. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/acute-myeloid-leukaemia-aml/about-acute-myeloid-leukaemia


Types of Children’s Cancer | CureSearch. (2014). CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. https://curesearch.org/Types-of-Childrens-Cancer


Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) — Survival Rate and Therapy. (2015, December 11). The Lecturio Online Medical Library. https://www.lecturio.com/magazine/acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia/


Types of childhood cancer. (n.d.). Www.Cclg.Org.Uk. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.cclg.org.uk/Types-of-childhood-cancer


Senior CMS. (n.d.). Www.Cclg.Org.Uk. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.cclg.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/About%20childhood%20cancer/Incidence_rates_Parents-Guide.png


Organization, A. C. C. (2017, June 6). Childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma Disease – Stages and Prognosis. ACCO. https://www.acco.org/blog/childhood-hodgkin-lymphoma-disease-stages-and-prognosis/



What Is Cancer Research? | American Association for Cancer Research. (n.d.). American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.aacr.org/patients-caregivers/about-cancer/what-is-cancer-research/#:~:text=Cancer%20research%20transforms%20and%20saves





 
 
 

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