Conquering Childhood Cancer

What is childhood cancer?
Cancer begins when normal cells change and grow uncontrollably. In most types of cancer, these cells form a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).Benign tumors are usually slow-growing and do not spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). Malignant cancers can grow rapidly and spread to other parts of the body. In leukemia, a cancer of the blood that starts in the bone marrow, these abnormal cells very rarely form a solid tumor, but instead crowd out other types of cells in the bone marrow. This prevents the production of normal red blood cells, other white blood cells, and platelets (the part of the blood needed for clotting).
Cancer in children can occur anywhere in the body, including the blood and lymph node system, brain and central nervous system (CNS), and kidneys. Most of the time, there is no known cause for childhood cancers. Childhood cancers may behave very differently from adult cancers.

Children can get cancer in the same parts of the body as adults, but there are differences. Childhood cancers can occur suddenly, without early symptoms, and have a high rate of cure. The most common children's cancer is leukemia. Other cancers that affect children include brain tumors, lymphoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Treatment may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute

Each year in the United States, approximately 13,500 children and adolescents 18 and under are diagnosed with cancer, that’s more than a classroom of kids a day. (Sources: Center for Disease Control and Children’s Oncology Group)

The National Cancer Society reports that the causes of most pediatric cancers remain a mystery and cannot be prevented.

First topic "T1" How common is childhood cancer? What are the most common ones? If you had cancer as a child or your child had cancer, what kind?

In the 1950s, almost all kids diagnosed with cancer died. Because of research, today about 85% of kids with the most common type of cancer will live. But for many other types, progress has been limited, and for some kids there is still little hope for a cure.

• There are over a dozen types of childhood cancers, and countless subtypes, making it more challenging for researchers to find cures for every kid.

• But even for kids who survive, the battle is not over. Because of the treatments they had as kids, by the time they’re 45, more than 95% of survivors will have a chronic health problem and 80% will have severe or life-threatening conditions.

• So in addition to finding cures, a lot of research is focused on preventing the lifelong damage that results from surgeries, radiation and chemotherapies given while young bodies and brains are just developing.

• Even during treatment, kids face all kinds of side effects, some very uncomfortable, others life-threatening.

T3 Do we know what the causes are of childhood cancer?

From the Dana Farber Cancer Institute...

Although many signs and symptoms of cancer – fever, bruising, headaches – are normal in healthy children, pediatricians are extremely skilled at distinguishing the usual bumps and pains from concerning ones. By evaluating the character, duration and severity of symptoms – as well drawing on their own instincts – they know which symptoms require additional evaluation and promptly order the appropriate tests.

T4 Many childhood cancers are curable. Where have we made the most progress? Where have we made the least progress?