Cancer has been a common occurrence in people all over the world during the past few decades. In the present scenario, children are becoming the cruel pray of deadly cancer in growing numbers. Though doctors are trying to find the reason to the problem but no solution has been attained till now. Most of the cancers found in the children are different than those found in the adults, for which they need to be researched differently to understand the cause and prevention of these diseases. Children are mainly infected by Brain and nervous system tumors, Neuroblastoma, Leukemia, Bone cancer, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilms tumor. Though, others types are also found in children but the frequency is way too low.
1. Brain and nervous system tumor
Brain and nervous system tumor is very common in children throughout the world. More than twenty-seven percent of the children around the world suffer from this type of cancer. This type of tumor has a number of types and can develop in various regions of nervous system. It is mainly concentrated in the brain stem of the children and a child suffering from this tumor has severe headache and suffers from nausea, blurred vision, vomiting and he suffers to walk even small distances and is unable to accomplish even smaller tasks. In adults, this cancer develops more in the upper parts of the brain. They are not easily detectable and prove fatal more often. Brain tumors have higher frequency than nervous tumors in both children and adults.
2. Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is found in the developing foetus and mainly affects nervous cells. Seven percent of the children around the world suffer from this type of cancer. Infants are mainly diagnosed with this type of cancer. The most noticeable symptom of the cancer is the swelling in the abdomen coupled with the pain in the bones and fever. It is very difficult to save children suffering from this type of cancer.
3. Leukemia
The most common type of cancer found in children is Leukemia. More than thirty-four percent of the children suffer from this cancer. Children mostly suffer from acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This cancer causes joint and bone pain, bleeding, weakness, loss, fever, and may other symptoms.
4. Wilms tumor
Wilms tumor is a type of cancer that attacks either one kidney or both. Mostly it is found in in children that are about three years old. It is rarely found in children who have attained the age of six years or more. It can be visible as a lump in the belly or as swelling. Some of the other symptoms can be nausea, pain, fever or even poor appetite. Almost 5% of all the childhood cancers are Wilms tumor.
5. Lymphoma
Lymphoma is another type of cancer that starts in the lymph tissues, such as tonsils, lymph nodes and thymus. This type of cancer can also spread to bone marrow and other organs as well. This can lead to the development of various symptoms that depend upon the area where the cancer is growing.
6. Rhabdomyosarcoma
Rhabdomyosarcoma is another type of cancer that develops in the skeletal muscles. This can take place in neck, belly, pelvis, or in arms or leg. It may result in swelling, pain, or both. This type of cancer is the most common sarcoma in children. Almost 3% childhood cancers result because of it.
7. Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is a cancer that affects the eye. Generally, it affects the children that are below two years of age, and it is very rare to be found in children more than the age of six. It is usually found when you look in the child’s eye. If you shine a light in the eye of a child, the pupil will look red because of the blood in the vessels in the back of the eye. In an eye with this type of cancer , the pupil often looks pink or white. The white glare of the eye may be observed after a flash picture is taken.
8. Primary bone cancer
Primary bone cancers occur mostly in older children and teens, but this problem can evolve at any age. Mainly there are two types of primary bone cancers:
a. Ewing sarcoma, which is a less common primary bone cancer can cause bone pain. Mostly it is found in teens.
b. Osteosarcoma usually develops in areas where bone is growing quickly like the ends of the long bone in the legs. This cancer accounts for nearly 3% of the childhood cancer cases in the U.S.
