The word cancer still appears horrible for many in our country, as most of the people have no knowledge about the disease. And when cancer is diagnosed in a child it means death to many parents.
When a child gets cancer mostly the family has no clues about the disease and they are also misguided by wrong information by others. This is all due to no basic information of general public regarding childhood cancer.
First we have to accept the fact that children can also get cancer which many people some years back did not accept, cancer was thought to be a disease of the elderly.
But fortunately it is not very common in children. Out of cancer in all age group only 3 to 5 percent occurs in children less than 15 years of age. Approximately 100-120 children get cancer out of a million under 15 years of age in a year. With this rate it is estimated that approximately five to six thousand children get cancer in Pakistan each year.
CAUSES: What causes cancer in children is not known, there is no specific reason.
Viruses, chemicals, environmental factors and genetic abnormalities may predispose to some cancers in children. Most cancers, however, are not inherited and it is exceptionally rare for a second child in a family to develop cancer.
There is no evidence that cancers are infectious and, therefore, there is no chance of getting cancer from any other person on contact basis. And hence the child should not be isolated from siblings and friends for this reason.
However, there are certain known factors that can cause cancer in children like supari (betel nut), gutka, pan and colouring agents in food items like chocolate and bunties, because instead of food dyes mostly textile dyes are used which cause cancer.
Consumption of these products for a long period can be dangerous; thus children must avoid these carcinogens. Similarly vaccination against Hepatitis B will prevent Hepatitis and liver cancer later in life.
Statistics show that the incidence of childhood cancer is increasing around the world and some of the basic reasons include increase use of pesticides and industrialisation.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
-- Repeated episodes of long duration fever without any obvious reason.
-- Unexplained weight loss and/or paleness.
-- Bruises and bleeding without any trauma.
-- Persistent headache accompanied with nausea and vomiting.
-- White eye (Cat eye) reflex in eye.
-- Persistent and progressive enlargement of any lymph gland or tumor not responding to usual treatment.
These signs and symptoms can be seen in other diseases also therefore, if persist some tests are done to rule out cancer.
Prevention: There is very little one can do to prevent cancer in children because environmental agents do not play a major role in childhood cancer.
Diagnosis: Cancer is diagnosed by different tests, including biopsy, bonemarrow, lumen puncture, blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound, CT, MRI.
Treatment: Childhood cancers are quite different from cancers affecting adults. They tend to occur in different parts of the body, they look different under the microscope and they respond better to treatment but they are fast growing as compared to adult cancers. Leukemia (blood cancer) and Lymphoma (cancer of lymph gland) are two most common cancers in children in Pakistan. Other common cancers include tumors of brain, bone, muscle and soft tissue, kidney, adrenal gland, liver and gonads (germ cell).
The treatment of childhood cancer is multi-disciplinary using chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. The treatments are painless and children tolerate it very easily. There is no sweet drug for childhood cancer treatment, therefore children have to eat the same drugs. Children have more chances of being cured as compare to adults.
Over the last three decades there has been tremendous improvement in the survival of childhood cancer. Cancers in children are very much treatable if diagnosed early and treated properly at specialised centers. With modern treatment more than 75 percent children are now cured of the disease in developed countries.
But the survival rate of childhood cancer in developing countries is very dismal. However, Pakistan has achieved a survival rate of more than 50 percent. Other than some exceptional cases the majority of children are treated for cancer live a normal healthy life.