Who says that only adults can suffer from cancer? Adults are certainly among the type of people who have the highest number of cases of cancers in history. But that does not mean that children are not prone to certain cancers.
When children get sick, there are times that parents only think that the conditions are normal signs of growth. Some may be true, but other times it may be a worse condition that every parent fears. That is why it is important to consult a doctor and take your children with you for physical examination. They need to be properly diagnosed of what kind of illness they have. They may be already positive to a cancer.
It is a reality to know the fact that kids can suffer from cancer. For the past years, there are five common types of cancer that are likely occurring in children. These are the health conditions that parents must know so they can help their own kids prevent from having any cancer.
1. Leukemia
Leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children. The development of leukemia begins when there are more white blood cells than red blood cells. Both red and white blood cells are formed from the bone marrow. White blood cells assist the body to fight common infections, while red blood cells help produce normal blood floor. When the bone marrow produces or releases more white blood cells, the red blood cells become less dominant, which leads to leukemia.
Once a child is diagnosed, he or she can have either is acute leukemia or chronic leukemia. The former is a fast growing type of leukemia, while the latter is a cancer that grows slowly. These are the two types of leukemia that children can have.
2. Brain Tumor
The second on the list of common cancer that can affect children is brain tumor. A tumor that is present in the brain of a child is not a good condition at all. This is an abnormal mass that can cause numerous discomforts and pains, or worse death.
If it is at an early stage, the tumor is usually not cancerous, and can be surgically removed. But it can become a serious condition that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Take note that all malignant tumors are very dangerous. This is already a stage wherein the tumor is cancerous.
Nevertheless, brain tumors can make children feel frequent headaches, which are usually severe. They also experience unusual sleepiness, seizures, nausea, and vomiting. In infants, the size of the head can increase. If your child feels these kinds of symptoms, you need to take them to the doctor immediately to aid the symptoms, and prevent the tumor from becoming worse.
3. Lymphoma
This condition begins at the lymphatic system, which is why the term for it is lymphoma cancer. Like some cancers, there are many kinds of lymphoma disease. Two of the most common types are the Hodgkin disease, and the non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The symptoms of lymphoma are fever, pain, including chest pain, swelling, loss of appetite, weakness, unexplained or sudden weight loss, difficulty in breathing, and coughing.
4. Soft Tissue Sarcoma
The function of soft tissues is to assist or connect other tissues in the body, such as the blood vessels, fat, tendons, and muscles. But this is the type of body tissue that can be easily affected by cancer.
Soft tissue sarcoma has a variety. They differ according to types and stage. There are times that cancerous tissues expand in the nerves and other organs. If this happens, it can make a person struggles in breathing and feels pain.
5. Osteosarcomas
This cancer is mainly affecting the bones in children. It is a type of cancer that can spread to other parts of the skeleton. It initially starts in bones and spread everywhere, including the lungs. Kids who are between the ages of 11 and 15 are the usual patients.
Parents must make sure their children undergo a checkup at least once a month, or every after 6 months. This is to protect them from having illnesses, such as the cancers listed above. So, if in case they are positive to one of those cancers, it is detected early, which refers to a better prognosis or a higher chance of successful treatment.