Leukemia, Lymphoma & Brain Tumour: 3 Common Cancers in Children
25 May 2024
The most common cancers in children are leukemia, lymphoma and brain tumours. There has been no definitive research on the causes of cancer in children. Cancer symptoms are almost identical to those of childhood illnesses, and it is often difficult to tell the difference. However, we can still find signs of cancer in children's abnormal health behaviour. Therefore, parents should pay attention to their children's conditions and seek medical advice as soon as they notice something wrong.
According to the data released by the National Cancer Centre of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia on cancers in children and adolescents aged 0-9 years from 2007 to 2016, for example, from 2012 to 2016, in order of prevalence, the cancers were leukemia (34.3 %), lymphatic cancers (14.55 %), and tumours of the mind and spinal cord (9.76 %).
No study has been done to explain the causes of cancer in children. The factors that contribute to cancer in children differ from those in adults, and very few cancers in children are caused by environmental factors or lifestyle.
Nuclear War Radiation Indiscriminate Use of Drugs in Pregnancy
Dr Yap Tsiao Yi said that two possibilities could not be ruled out, one is the exposure of children to radiation from nuclear war, increasing the chances of cancer; the second is that pregnant women do not know and take drugs that are not conducive to the development of the foetus during pregnancy, resulting in foetal malformations, which leads to cancer is very rare.
Between 5 and 10 % of children are affected by family genetic factors, i.e. oncogenetic changes or familial hereditary cancer syndrome (FHCS), which have a higher chance of developing cancer, while the rest are associated with cytogenetic mutations. It is not known why cytogenetic mutations occur.
In addition, children with Down Syndrome are more likely to develop leukemia, and in old age, there is a high risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
Symptoms Are Non-Specific and Difficult To Recognise
Generally, we can tell if an adult has cancer through targeted screening, but this is not the case for children. Cancer symptoms in adults are easier to distinguish. That's because children's symptoms of everyday illnesses are much the same as cancer symptoms.
For example, if a child has a cold or cough, he or she will most often have a fever, and sometimes the lymph will be slightly swollen, which is almost the same as leukemia or lymphoma; and if he or she is sick, vomiting and headaches are common, but these are like the symptoms of brain cancer.
Bone Pains, Swollen Hips and Pale Face Are The Warning Signs of Leukemia In Children
Taking into account the previous examples, we know that it is indeed difficult to recognise the symptoms of childhood cancer. Nonetheless, there are some signs to look for.
There are several ways to look at the symptoms of leukemia. Firstly, the child has pain in the bones and joints, which may look like osteoarthritis, but osteoarthritis is short-lived, but if the child has prolonged pain in the feet that prevents him or her from walking, then we need to pay attention to it; secondly, the liver and spleen are damaged by the cancer condition, which results in the abdomen and hips appearing to be swollen; and thirdly, the child looks pale, and bruises are more likely to occur because of the low level of blood platelets and haemoglobin.
Lymphatic Lumps Painlessness Is More Important To Be Careful
Lymphoma occurs in the neck, and swelling on one side of the neck is the most obvious feature. If the lymphoma in the chest is swollen, the child will have chronic coughing problem with shortness of breath, which is not related to asthma. Because of this, when they lie down, they will feel something heavy pressing on their chest, making it difficult for them to breathe, so they are unable to lie down and sleep; lymphoma patients will also lose weight and become thinner day by day.
Brain Tumour Under 1 Year Old With Big Head, Crying and Vomiting
Symptoms of brain cancer have to be seen in terms of age. In a baby under 1 year old, the skull at the front part of the head is not yet formed. If a tumour grows in the brain, it will cause a blockage in the circulation of brain fluids, and this area will become swollen; at the same time, because the head is not hardened, the blockage will cause the pressure inside the brain to rise, and the head will look bigger than other children.
Infants are unable to express themselves through words and can only cry all the time. Often, they may vomit in the morning when they wake up, which is when they need to be taken to the doctor immediately.
As for older children, their head development has already taken shape. The symptom is usually a headache, but this headache is not caused by fatigue or stress, but an abnormal pain, even after going into a deep sleep, when the headache suddenly strikes and vomits.
ALL and AML The Most Common Leukemia In Children
There are four main types of leukemia, namely Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML).
The more common types of leukemia in children are ALL and AML, which can be divided into B-cell ALL and T-cell ALL, with B-cell ALL being the most common in children.
Treatment for ALL generally involves two years of chemotherapy; AML is malignant and has a strong drug regimen with a course of chemotherapy lasting about six to nine months. Chemotherapy can be given in three forms: orally, intravenously, or by spinal tap.
As the cancer cells may spread to the brain or nerve lines, chemotherapy is usually administered through spinal puncture. If the cancer cells invade the brain, radiotherapy is necessary, but it only focuses on the brain and the upper spine of the head, and the dosage of the drug is greatly reduced to avoid causing sequelae to the patient, such as affecting height and hormonal imbalance.
Will The Disease Recur in Adulthood?
In some cases, the survival rate is as low as 40 or 60 % because the disease worsens, does not respond well to medication, or relapses. Usually the survival rate of children with relapses is reduced.
Is it possible for a child who has recovered from cancer to have a recurrence of the disease in adulthood? There is no rule of thumb, but perhaps the chances are slightly higher than in the general population, depending on the medication used during treatment.
Easier to Get “Three Highs” Due to Medication
During the treatment, the doctor will administer medication according to the situation, and the development of the cancerous child will not be affected too much after completing the course of treatment. The patient has to return to the hospital for follow-ups so that the doctor can follow up on his/her health condition, including growth and hormone check.
Because of the medication, patients are more likely to have high blood sugar and blood pressure, so I will advise them to control their blood sugar and blood pressure, and to maintain a good lifestyle and diet.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
