Cancer Information and Resources

The tumors that are found in children are usually located in the brain. This is considered to be the most common type of solid tumors among children. Around 1,500 children are diagnosed to have tumor every year. Tumors that are found in the brain do not usually contain cancer cells, and upon removal, there is a big chance that the tumor may not recur. However, if it is a malignant tumor, there is a chance that the tumor may recur after treatment.

Tumors also have clear borders, meaning the tumor did not invade its surrounding tissues. This makes the removal through surgery easier. However, since it is a solid mass that presses the other parts of the brain, it produces cancer-like symptoms. Malignant tumors, unlike benign tumors which have clear borders, invade the surrounding tissues and grow easily.

Brain tumor can occur at any age. However, the tumor that occurs in adults is different from the ones that occur in children and infants. It is different when it comes to the type of cells and the responsiveness of the tumor to the treatment implemented.

The most common sign of tumor in children is the increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). It is caused by the pressure exerted from the mass in the brain. The flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is blocked by the mass and causes increase in the intracranial pressure. It produces manifestations such as:

• Drowsiness
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Personality changes
• Depression
• Decreased cardiac and respiratory function, if untreated, it may lead to coma

The manifestations also vary depending on the site of the tumor. The symptoms may be different from one child to another. The most common manifestations of tumor in the cerebrum are:

• Visual changes
• Slurred speech
• Seizures
• Personality changes
• Paralysis on half of the body
• Increase ICP

The manifestations of tumor in the brainstem are:

• Headaches
• Endocrine problems
• Respiratory changes
• Seizures
• Paralysis of muscles or nerves of the face or half of the body
• Visual changes
• Increase ICP

As for the manifestations of the tumor in the cerebrum, these are:

• Vomiting
• Uncoordinated muscle movements
• Headache
• Problems in walking
• Increase ICP

Always consult a physician whenever symptoms like these are observed in your child.

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One of the organizations that give support to cancer patients is the American Cancer Society. Their organization is dedicated towards helping those people who are facing cancer make the most out of their lives and encouraging them to never lose hope. They support the researches about cancer, patient services, early detection of cancer, its treatment and the education not only for cancer patients but for all the people as well.

There are American Cancer Society children programs too. They have pediatric cancer centers and they also provide counseling for children. This is good since having cancer may be a hard part of the life of a child. And there are times when the child cannot understand much of what is happening to him. With the programs that the organization gives, the patient and his family learn how to cope with the diagnosis, seek out options for financial and insurance issues and learn about the proper nutrition that a cancer patient needs.

The pediatric centers that the organizations support are facilities that attend to the needs of children and teens with cancer. These facilities offer their services on pediatric cancer treatment to children from birth up to the age of 18. But there are groups that extend their pediatric treatment up to the age of 21. This type of facility is good because the children are grouped with the other children of the same age. They can understand each other better and find support with each other.

Being diagnosed with cancer is devastating news for the child and his family. Having an organization like this that supports cancer patient is a temporary relief for the suffering heart, mind, body and soul. There are times when we find refuge on people we don’t know. And this is what the organization aims to do –to let cancer patients and their families know that during hard times, they have somebody to lean on.
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The types of cancer that are seen in adults are different from the ones seen in children. The most common types of cancer in children are bone cancer, leukemia, neuroblastoma, lymphoma, retinoblastoma, wilms tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, and brain and other tumors of the nervous system. However, there are times when a type of cancer that is commonly seen in adults occurs in a child, but this is a rare instance.

Leukemia is considered as the most common type of cancer in children. Statistics state that almost 34% of all the cancer in children is leukemia. The types of leukemia that commonly occurs in children are acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Both types of leukemia cause generalized body weakness, bleeding, weight loss, bone and joint pain, fever, and other symptoms.

Neuroblastoma is one of the types of cancer that starts during the fetal life. Some certain types of nerve cells are the ones that are affected in this type of cancer. it commonly occurs in infants and young children and it manifests as a tumor in the abdominal area.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymph tissues. However, later on, the cancer spreads to the other organs. The symptoms manifested by a child with lymphoma are swollen lymph nodes, fever, sweating and weakness.

Retinoblastoma is a type of cancer that affects the eye. This affects children ages 2 to 6. The eye of the child may look unusual because the pupil is colored while or pink. This symptom is also known as the cat’s eye reflex.

Wilms tumor affects one kidney at first, however, in rare cases, both kidney are affected. It manifests as a swelling on the abdominal area. It causes nausea, poor appetite, fever and pain.

It is important to know the information about the different types of cancer in children. This helps us to be aware just in case we encounter children with early symptoms of these illnesses. Early detection is important for timely treatment and possible recovery of the child.
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Parents normally worry about their child’s health especially if the child is feeling unusual. There are some parents who cannot help but jump into conclusions when their children get sick for more than 5-7 days without a good explanation of its cause. A parent should not worry too much and bring the child to the pediatrician instead so that further evaluation and tests can be made.
Childhood cancer is very rare among children. Though there are many types of cancer that mainly occurs on children, the risk of a child having it is fairly low. For the benefit of the parents, here are the signs of cancer in children. Each one of us should know these signs so that we can be aware of what to be worried about and what should be not.
For bone cancers, the common signs are bone pain, weak bones that lead to fractures, inability to movie normally and swelling or tenderness around a one or a joint. With leukemia, the signs to be watched out for are easy bruising, bleeding gums, frequent nose bleeding, swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, weakness, dizziness, paleness, loss of appetite and repeated infections.
For neuroblastoma, the signs are lump in the abdominal area, chest, pelvis and neck, constipation, difficulty urinating, weight loss, stomach pain, bone pain, irritability, difficulty breathing, vision problems and droopy eyelids. Wilm’s tumor has warning signs such as abdominal swelling with or without pain, constipation, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, malaise and fever of unknown origin.
Brain cancers have signs such as balance and walking problems, back pain, excessive thirst and urination, growth retardation, vision problems, headache during the morning or at sleeping time, weakness and clumsiness, persistent vomiting and seizures that are not related to a high temperature.
For rhabdomyosarcoma, the signs to be watched out for are hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, persistent abdominal pain, lump or swelling in the extremities and the groin area, drooping eyelids, protruding eyeball, swelling of the eye and rapid vision changes.
Lymphomas often manifest on children as breathing difficulties, swollen lymph nodes, weakness, unexplained weight loss and swelling of the face. For retinoblastoma, one sign is certain – the cat’s eye reflex.
There are no specific signs that point out generally to cancer. If you observe any of these signs on your child, the important thing is to stay calm, and immediately report the situation to the doctor.

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Generally speaking, there is no single, specific cause for childhood cancer. Even until now, the cause for childhood cancer is yet to be known. There are some scientists that believe that the real cause of childhood cancer is the combination of many factors. These factors are the environmental, genetic and constitutional characteristics of a child. For instance, a child with a family history of cancer has an increased risk of developing one if he is exposed to some environmental factors.

Cancer in children often begins in the child’s stem cells. These are the simple cells that have the capability of creating other types of cells that are specialized according to what the body needs. There is a sporadic mutation of the cells, and this is what causes the cancer. However, there is no specific answer as to why this happens. This kind of mutation only happens by chance.

There are some risk factors which puts the child at risk of developing cancer. This increases the chances of a child developing the disease. This also makes the body less resistant against the cancer, but it does not necessarily mean that it would immediately cause the disease. One of the risk factors is having one of the family members exposed to substances that can cause cancer, and this is referred to as indirect exposure.

There are also genetic disorders that put the child at risk of developing cancer. These disorders cause suppression of the immune system. The immune system plays a big part in defending our body against diseases. Exposure to chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides and power lines have shown to have a direct link to cancer in children. There are also theories that cancer may develop to children if their mothers have been exposed to certain chemical agents while these children are still in the womb.

With the numerous risk factors and the unknown specific cause of cancer, it is better that we know what some of it are so that we can all avoid it. Having cancer in one of the family members is hard, especially when children are the ones involved. It is important to keep children healthy for their future.
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Children having skin cancer is still considered rare. Children don’t get enough skin damage from the sun yet, which is the major cause of skin cancer in adults. However, today, there has been a small, but significant rise in the occurrence of skin cancer in children. Parents should be aware of this so that precautionary measures can be done to prevent the worse case scenarios that may happen.
The good news for both children and adults is that skin cancer is a visible type of cancer. If it is detected early, then it can be treated timely and eventually it can be cured. The most dangerous type of skin cancer that physicians are worried about is the malignant melanoma. This is the type of skin cancer that can spread inside the body and slowly kill you.
The most significant risk factor for having cancer is the repeated severe exposure to the sun. The damage is added up and increases the risk of skin cancer in the adult years. This is the reason why it is very important to keep the children, especially the small ones, out of the sun. The sun is most damaging from 10am to 3pm.
The exposure to sun is just a risk factor, but the real cause of melanoma in children is still unknown. It is also not yet understood why there are some melanoma that develops on the part of the body which is usually covered and is not exposed to sun at all.
Parents should know the simple things that they can do in order to prevent skin cancer in their children. First, if exposure to the sun is unavoidable, apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. You can apply sunscreen on a regular basis and never be afraid to apply a lot to your skin. You can also make your child wear protective clothing when he or she is outside.
A parent should also know what to report. Moles that are unevenly shaped, has an irregular border, has different colors such as red, white or pink, has a diameter of more than 6mm or about the size of a pencil eraser and moles that change over time in almost any aspect such as color, size or shape should all be reported to the physician if you observe it in your child.

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