Child and Teen Cancers

“Childhood cancers have escalated to alarming proportions in recent years.”    ~ Samuel Epstein, M.D.

 

 

Cancers in children and teenagers differ notably from adult forms of the disease.  Symptoms can appear to be similar to other childhood illnesses. But when a child or adolescent shows sudden, persistent changes in their health or behavior similar to symptoms shown below, it is best to consult a licensed health care professional.  If your pediatrician is not certain of the exact cause, seek a second opinion.

 

According to the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI), there are 12 major types of cancer that affect babies, children of all ages, and teenagers. There are also rare cancers.

 

BRAIN CANCER

Brain cancers are the most common solid malignancy in children and teens, and are known as gliomas.

 

Symptoms

   * Headaches, often upon 
           awakening
   * Problems with vision or eyes
   * Speech difficulty, loss of balance 
    * Vomiting, often early in the day
   * Weakness
   * Increase in head size
   * Seizures, pain in head or neck

 

EWING’S SARCOMA

This cancer usually grows in the bones but also may begin in soft tissues.  Ewing’s Sarcoma occurs most frequently in teenagers.

 

Symptoms

   * Pain or swelling around bone joints
   * A bone may fracture
   * Pain in the back area

 

NEUROBLASTOMA       

A solid tumor that usually begins in the adrenal glands, but can also be found in the abdomen, chest, neck or pelvis. 90% of kids diagnosed with neuroblastoma are younger than five years old.  Sadly, by the time a child is diagnosed, there is a 70% chance the cancer has spread. It is most often found in infants and children under two years of age.

Symptoms
   
   * Swelling, pain in the
         abdomen               
    * Changes in eyes
   * Fatigue caused by anemia
   * Bruises, bleeding
   * Fever
   * Rapid heartbeat
   * Jerking muscles

 

HEPATOBLASTOMA    

The most common liver cancer in very young children. Premature babies have a higher risk.

HEPATOCELLULAR

Liver cancer that occurs more frequently in older children. A risk factor is Hepatitis B or C and is greatest when the Hepatitis virus passes from mother to child during birth.

 

Symptoms 

   * Jaundice (yellow skin or whites of eyes)
   * Itchy skin
   * Swollen, painful abdomen
   * Nausea, vomiting

 

THYROID CANCER

The thyroid is a small gland located in the neck.  It makes and stores hormones that regulate the child’s growth, body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and much more.

 

Symptoms

 

   * One or more lumps in the neck

   * Difficulty swallowing or breathing
   * Hoarse voice
   * Sense of tightness in the neck
   * Family history of Thyroid cancer

 

 

RETINOBLASTOMA

A rare cancer of the eye that occurs usually in babies to early teen years.  About 40% of kids are born with a genetic form of the disease.

 

Symptoms

   * Enlarged pupil
   * Crossed eye
   * Poor vision
   * Different colored iris

 

TESTICULAR CANCER

There has been a dramatic increase lately in testicular cancer and may cause death in boys and young adult men. 

 

Symptoms

   * Lump in one or both 
           testicles       
   * Enlarged testicle
   * Dull ache in the groin
   * Sense of heaviness in
           scrotum
   * Enlarge nipples and 
           breasts

 

KAPOSI’S SARCOMA

Believed to be caused by the Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV8), it is common in Equatorial Africa.  Typically, lesions appear in the mouth or skin and some penetrate to the bone, digestive system, and lungs.

 

Symptoms

 
   * Skin lesion

   * Pain in the chest
   * Swollen lymph glands or limbs
   * Sores inside mouth
   * Breathlessness, pain in chest
   * Fatigue

 

CLEAR CELL SARCOMA

Children with this cancer range in age between two months and 14 years.

 

Symptoms

 

   * Abdominal mass or pain

   * Fever

ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA (ALL)

A common cancer in children and teens, it begins in the bone marrow and spreads to the bloodstream. A significant number of kids have cancer return after treatments, and it causes death.

 
Symptoms  

                                                          
   * Fatigue

   * Fever

   * Tiny red spots under skin

   * Painful bone joints

   * Bleeding, bruises
   * Swollen spleen or liver
   * Tender lymph nodes

 

ACURE MYELOID LEUKEMIA (AML)

Bone marrow makes an abundance of abnormal blood cells that prevent white blood cells’ ability to fight infection. AML can spread. Children with Down syndrome are more likely to develop AML.

 

Symptoms

 
   * Pale skin

   * Night sweats

   * Fatigue

   * Lumps in neck, underarm, groin

   * Headaches, seizures

           

OSTEOSARCOMA

The most common bone cancer, usually found in older kids and teens. It is associated with rapid growth. Osteosarcoma begins in the leg or upper arm, although it can develop in any bone and may spread. It sometimes causes the cancerous limb to be amputated.

 

Symptoms

   * Pain or swelling around bone joint
   * A bone may fracture
   * Child may limp if cancer is in the leg bone

 

JUVENILE BREAST CANCER

Girls ages 3 years to 15 years have a one in 228 risk of developing rare forms of juvenile breast cancer.  The disease in girls and teens is more aggressive and causes higher death rates than breast cancer in adult women. Juvenile Secretory Carcinoma is a slow-growing

cancer while Cystosarcoma Phylloides grows rapidly in the young breast.

 

Symptoms

 
   * Lump or thickening in chest area

   * Unusual nipple discharge

   * Redness or swelling on chest

 

WILMS’ TUMOR – OR NEPHROBLASTOMA

Nearly 95% of kidney cancer in children are Wilms Tumors.  It occurs more often in black girls.  Wilms’ cancer may affect one kidney or both.  The American Cancer Society claims that the risk occurs more often in children with certain kinds of birth defects.

 

Symptoms

 

   * Fever

   * A lump or pain in the abdomen

   * Blood in urine

   * Diarrhea
   * Weight loss
   * Urogenital infections

 

RHABDOMYOSARCOMA (RMS)     

A cancer that occurs most often where skeletal muscles originate: the head and neck, urinary and reproductive organs, arms and legs, and trunk.  It is more common in children younger than ten years.

 

Symptoms

   * A rapidly growing, firm lesion on the arm or leg

   * Weakness of facial nerves, sinus infection, headaches

   * Discharge from the ear
   * Headaches or swelling around the eye
   * Blood in urine or from the vagina

 

 

HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA

A cancer that tends to develop in the lymph nodes of the neck, armpit, or groin.  A weakened immune system increases risks.

 

Symptoms             

 

   * Swollen lymph nodes that don’t respond to antibiotics

   * Poor appetite
   * Night sweats
   * Itchy skin
   * Weight loss

   * Fever

   * Fatigue, not feeling well

 

NON-HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA

A type of cancer affecting lymph nodes found deeper within the body, often in the upper portion of the chest, near the bowels or appendix.  Usually affects older children or teens.

 

Symptoms (depending on site)

 

   * Swelling of the abdomen

   * Fever, chills 

   * Night sweats

   * Cough, shortness of breath

 

BURKITT’S LYMPHOMA

A rare cancer, the most aggressive in kids in Central Africa and Uganda where children are weakened by malaria.  It is associated with the Epstein-Barr virus and HIV and also is seen in the United States.  It usually appears as a facial tumour, in the nasal sinuses, and lymph nodes although it can also be found in the abdomen.

 

Symptoms

 
   * Itchy skin
   * Tumor on mouth or face
   * Swollen abdomen
   * Pain

   * Loosened teeth