What are the common pediatric cancers?
- Leukemia
- Brain and spinal cord tumors
- Neuroblastoma
- Lymphoma
Overview
- Childhood cancer affects a large number of Filipino children ages 19 and below. This disease can stem from the blood, kidneys, and more.
- Leukemia, a cancer of white blood cells, primarily affects the bone marrow. It can result in fatigue, infections, and bone pain.
- Brain and spinal cord tumors arise from abnormal cell growth, leading to symptoms such as loss of appetite and developmental delays.
- Neuroblastoma originates from immature nerve cells. It occurs commonly in adrenal glands, presenting symptoms like abdominal pain.
- Lymphoma roots from the lymphatic system which can result in either non-Hodgkin or Hodgkin lymphoma. This cancer can lead to fever, swollen glands, and weight loss.
Cancer is a disease that comes from an abnormal growth and spread of cells. While it is more common in adults, this disease can also affect children ages 0 – 19 years old. Pediatric cancer affects over 4,700 Filipino children. Most of these cancers stem from the blood, brain and nervous system, lymph nodes, retina, kidney, and more. To explore more of this disease, we dive into four common types of pediatric cancers. This article aims to raise awareness and foster understanding of each unique condition, looking into its causes and symptoms.
Leukemia
Leukemia, the cancer of white blood cells or leukocytes, is one of the leading types of cancer in children. The bone marrow, the spongy material found inside the bones, is the main focus of this disease. Inside the bone marrow, blood stem cells divide and mature to make new blood cells. During this process, the cells become either lymphocytes (a kind of white blood cell) or other blood-forming cells. These other blood-forming cells mature into red blood cells, white blood cells (other than lymphocytes), or platelets.
When the bone marrow creates cancerous cells or abnormal cells that do not mature, they make their way through the blood and affect tissues and organs.
Symptoms of leukemia in children include:
- Feeling tired and weak
- Bruising and bleeding easily
- Frequent or long-term infections
- Bone pain
- Swollen and tender gums
- Skin rashes
- Enlarged spleen
There are several types of leukemia. The most common ones for children are acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The former affects a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes while the latter affects the immature white blood cells called blast cells.
Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors
Brain and spinal cord tumors are another set of common pediatric cancers. Tumors are lumps or growths that are formed due to a group of abnormal cells. These lumps could either be cancerous, non-cancerous, or precancerous.
In the case of the spinal cord, tumors, whether cancerous or not, still pose a threat to the neurological health of the child as this may lead to cognitive impairment, multiple sclerosis, and the like.
Brain tumors, on the other hand, are often seen in the back compartment of the brain. In can also occur in one of the two cerebral hemispheres.
Common symptoms of this type of cancer include the following:
- Loss of appetite
- Increased irritability
- Developmental delays
- Loss of coordination in the arms or legs
- Feeling of numbness or weakness
- Problems in the bladder or bowel
The process of diagnosing this cancer is through several tests. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) can be done.
Neuroblastoma
If leukemia is caused by immature white blood cells, neuroblastoma is caused by immature nerve cells. Nerve cells are what send messages between the body and the brain. This type of cancer is usually found in the adrenal glands, a gland that is responsible for creating steroid hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. It is often found on top of the kidneys, one gland for each organ.
While it is most commonly found in adrenal glands, this cancer can also begin along the sympathetic nervous system. This is because it is classified as an embryonal neuroendocrine tumor or a brain tumor.
Children who have this cancer can experience the following symptoms:
- Abdominal pain
- A mass under the skin that isn’t tender when touched
- Changes in bowel habits
- Chest pain and/or wheezing
- Changes in the eyes, leading to droopy eyelids or unequal pupil size
- Back pain
- Fever
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bone pain
Neuroblastoma mostly affects children below five years old. However, it still can occur in older children but that is rare.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma begins in the lymphatic system of the body and occurs when abnormal white blood cells develop. The lymphatic system is a system composed of organs, vessels, and tissues. It is responsible for balancing the fluids in your body. The important organs of this system are the bone marrow, thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue.
There are two types of lymphoma—non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. The most common one is the former. This cancer can be caused by high exposure to radiation and chemicals. Exposure to viruses like HIV or Epstein-Barr can also increase the risk of this disease.
Common symptoms of having lymphoma are the following:
- Fever
- Swelling of one or more lymph glands
- Swollen abdomen
- Abnormal sweating
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
- Easily bruising or bleeding
- Weight loss
- Frequent infections
- Cough, chest pain, or problems breathing
- Rash or itching.
Treatments for this cancer include active surveillance, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Key Takeaway
Understanding these common pediatric cancers is important. This is because an early diagnosis is a helpful step in treatment. When children are experiencing or exhibiting the mentioned symptoms, guardians or parents should immediately seek their trusted medical professionals.
In navigating this sensitive condition, Perpetual Help Medical Center-Las Piñas is at your service. We not only have the best oncology doctors on call for you, but we also offer state-of-the-art cancer treatments for children. From radiation therapy to stem cell therapy, seek help and recover with us at Perpetual Help Medical Center Las Pinas. Contact us or visit our website to learn more.