Cancer in children, know the types and symptoms & bull; hello healthy

Adults are often referred to as the group most susceptible to cancer because the risk of this disease can increase with age. However, cancer in children is also often encountered with different causes. Parents need to know and understand the causes, characteristics, and types of cancer in children.

What is cancer in children?

The types of cancer that attack children are generally different from adults, although there are several types of cancer that can appear in both. Based on a report from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the types of cancer that mostly attack children are:

1. Leukemia

Leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children. In fact, one third of cancer cases in children in Indonesia are leukemia.

In 2010, the number of leukemia sufferers was 31 percent of the total childhood cancers. This percentage continues to increase to 35 percent in 2011, 42 percent in 2012, and 55 percent in 2013.

Leukemia is a cancer that attacks white blood cells. There are four types of leukemia that affect children, namely:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Acute myeloblastic leukemia
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• Chronic myeloid leukemia

The death rate from leukemia in 2010 and 2011 was 19 percent. This figure increased to 23 percent in 2012 and 30 percent in 2013.

If cancer is detected early and the patient gets effective treatment, the life expectancy for the next 5 years for leukemia can reach 90 percent.

Quoting from the website of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the symptoms of cancer that attacks white blood cells in children are:

• The child is crying, fussy, and weak
• Pale face
• Fever for no reason
• Decreased appetite
• Skin bleeding
• Enlarged spleen, liver, and lymph
• Enlargement of the testicles
• Bone pain

The bone pain prevents children from standing or walking.

2. Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a type of cancer that attacks the eye, to be precise the inner layer of the eye called the retina. This disease causes the formation of malignant tumors on the retina, either in one eye or both.

In Indonesia, about 4-6 percent of cancer in children is retinoblastoma. Children who experience this cancer generally experience symptoms in the body, such as:

• The appearance of a spot in the middle of the eye
• Enlargement of the eyeball
• Reduced vision, and blindness.
• Cockeye
• Inflammation of the eyeball tissue
• Reddish eyes
• Eyes glow yellowish at night or often called 'cat's eye'.

Without treatment, retinoblastoma can cause death. If the tumor is in only one eye, the patient's life expectancy can be as high as 95 percent.

Meanwhile, if the tumor is in both eyes, the life expectancy ranges from 70-80 percent.

3.Osteosarcoma (bone cancer)

Osteosarcoma is a cancer that attacks the bones, especially the bones of the thighs and legs. Bone cancer is actually quite rare, but this disease ranks third in childhood cancer in Indonesia.

Symptoms of cancer in children of this type are:

• Bone pain at night or after exertion
• Swelling and warm bones
• In very severe cases, fractures may occur after exertion

In 2010, osteosarcoma reached 3 percent of all cancer cases in children. In 2011 and 2012, the number of children suffering from bone cancer in Indonesia reached 7 percent.

Meanwhile in 2013, the number of osteosarcoma sufferers was 9 percent of the total cancer cases that occurred in children. If the cancer has not spread to other areas of the body, the patient's life expectancy can reach 70-75 percent.

4. Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is cancer of the nerve cells called neuroblasts. Neuroblasts are supposed to grow into normal functioning nerve cells, but in neuroblastoma, these cells actually grow into dangerous cancer cells.

Symptoms of nerve cell cancer in children are:

• Bleeding around the eye
• Bone pain
• Eyes bulge
• Pupil contractions
• Diarrhea
• The stomach feels full
• Lame
• Swelling in the neck
• Dry eyes
• Impaired bowel and urinary function

In 2010, there were not many cases of neuroblastoma in Indonesia, namely only 1 percent of the total cases of cancer in children. However, the numbers increased to 4 percent in 2011 and 8 percent in 2013.

Neuroblastoma with low risk has a life expectancy of 95 percent. Meanwhile, neuroblastomas that are more malignant and at high risk have a life expectancy of 40-50 percent.

5. Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that attacks the lymph nodes. In Indonesia, the number of lymphoma sufferers in 2010 reached 9 percent of the total cases of childhood cancer, then increased to 16 percent in 2011.

In 2012 and 2013, the number of children suffering from lymphoma cancer in Indonesia decreased to 15 percent of the total cases.

Symptoms of lymph cancer in children are:

• Lymph nodes in the armpits, thighs, neck
• Fever
• Weak
• Sluggish
• Night sweats
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss

Children with stage 1 or 2 lymphoma have a life expectancy of 90 percent. If the lymphoma has reached stage 3 or 4, the life expectancy is below 70 percent.

6. Rabdomiosarcoma

Quoting from Cancer, rabdomiosarcoma is the growth of malignant tumor cells (cancer) in the soft tissue tissues of the body, such as muscles and connective tissue (tendons or tendons).

In rabdomysarcoma, the cancer cells look similar to immature muscle cells and this muscle cancer is a rare type of cancer.

The development of muscle cells called rabdiomyoblasts occurs during the embryo, so muscle cancer is more common in children. In the womb, the rabdiomyoblasts begin to develop to form muscle skeletons at the seventh week of gestation.

When these muscle cells grow abnormally fast and become malignant, they turn into rabdomiosarcoma cancer cells.

Rabdomiosarcoma most often forms on the muscles in the following parts of the body:

• Head and neck (near the eyes, in the sinuses of the nose or throat, near the cervical spine)
• Urinary and reproductive organs (bladder, prostate gland, or female organs)
• Hands and feet
• Chest and stomach

Symptoms of muscle cancer in children also vary, depending on the location of the cancer cell growth.

• Nose and throat: nosebleeds, bleeding, difficulty swallowing, or nervous system problems if they occur to the brain.
• Around the eyes: bulging, vision problems, swelling around the eyes, or eye pain.
• Ears: swelling, to loss of hearing.
• Bladder and vagina: problems urinating or passing stool and problems with urine control.

Treatment of muscle cancer is based on the location and type of rabdomiosarcoma itself. Treatment options for muscle cancer include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy.

7. Hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma is a type of liver cancer. This condition generally affects children, from infants to 3 years of age. Hepatoblastoma cancer cells can spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body, although this is rare.

Quoting from Stanford Children Health, most hepatoblastoma is caused by gene changes. Some genetic conditions that increase the risk of hepatoblastoma include:

• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
• Bay Birth Weight Lace (LBW)
• Aicardi syndrome
• Adenomatous polyposis

Meanwhile, the symptoms of hepatoblastoma are:

• Swollen stomach
• Weight loss and decreased appetite
• Early puberty in boys
• Stomach ache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
• Fever
• Itchy Skin
• Veins in the abdomen are enlarged and can be seen through the skin

Treatment of hepatoblastoma is generally done to remove as many tumor cells as possible and maintain the performance of liver function. Treatment is surgery, chemotherapy, liver transplant, radiation therapy.

8. Medulloblastoma

Quoting from the Mayo Clinic, this is a cancer in children that attacks the lower back of the brain or the cerebellum. This section plays a role in coordination, balance, and muscle movement.

Medulloblastoma tends to spread through a fluid called cerebrospinal (CSF). This is the fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord to other areas around it. These cancer cells rarely spread to other areas, so they specifically attack the brain.

This condition is known as an embryonal neuroepithelial tumor because it forms in fetal cells that remain after the baby is born.

This cancer can affect all ages, but most often affects children. The cause is still not known for sure, but quoted from Cancer, there is a relationship with genes passed down from the family.

What are the common signs or symptoms of cancer in children?

Early diagnosis is very important. In many cases, treatment can be more successful if the tumor is smaller and has not spread more. For that parents need to know the symptoms or early signs of cancer in children.

However, sometimes it is difficult to detect cancer in children because it does not show changes at the beginning.

Here are some common symptoms of cancer in children.

• Drastic weight loss
• Headache, often accompanied by vomiting in the morning
• Feeling pain or pain in one part of the body
• Bruises or rashes appear on the body without impact
• Swelling appears in one part of the body
• Often tired even though you are not doing strenuous activities
• Decreased ability to see
• Recurrent or persistent fever of unknown cause
• Looks pale and powerless for no clear cause
• A lump appears

Other symptoms that appear depend on what type of cancer the child is experiencing. In addition, each child may show different symptoms of cancer so that it cannot be equated between one child and another.

How is the examination and treatment of cancer in children?

During the consultation, the doctor will ask about medical history and symptoms, then examine the child. If cancer is the suspected cause, the doctor may recommend imaging tests (such as X-rays), a biopsy to find out the type of cancer cells or a series of other tests.

Quoting from Cancer, there are three types of treatment for cancer in children, namely:

• Operation
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy

Several types of cancer in children can be treated with high doses of chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplants. There are also newer types of treatment, such as drug therapy and immunotherapy.

Can cancer in children be cured? Still according to the official Cancer website, childhood cancer tends to respond better to treatment. Children's bodies make the likelihood of recovery higher than adults.

Using very intense treatments, such as chemotherapy, makes cancer treatment more effective. However, it does not rule out causing short and long term side effects.

What is the effect of cancer on a child's psychological condition?

Caring doctor analyzing medical results of patient with cancer

Cancer greatly affects the patient's mental condition, especially in children who are prone to stress due to chronic diseases.

According to research in the American Cancer Society, children who suffer from cancer are more at risk of developing psychotic disorders than children their age. Psychological disorders not only occur when children undergo treatment, but also after they recover from cancer.

These psychological disorders include:

• Anxiety disorders (41.2 percent)
• Drug abuse (34.4 percent)
• Distraction mood and others (24.4 percent)
• Psychotic disorders and personality disorders (less than 10 percent).

Other research in Wiley Online Library helped discover other psychological disorders experienced by children with cancer. The researchers found cases of depression, antisocial disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to schizophrenia.

According to a 2015 Ministry of Health report, about 59 percent of children with cancer have mental problems, 15 percent of them have anxiety disorders, 10 percent are depressed, and 15 percent are affected. post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The psychology journal of State University of Malang, entitled Quality of Life for Cancer Patients, concluded that cancer provides significant physical and psychological changes to individuals, from sadness, worry, to fear of the future and death.

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