Leukemia - symptoms and treatment of blood cancer in children. Symptoms of blood cancer in children are invisible and are under special control Blood cancer in a child treatment

It is very difficult to detect blood cancer in children, because the affected cells do not lead to the formation of tumors that can actually be detected during an ultrasound or x-ray examination. Leukemia leads to dysfunction of major organs. Symptoms of blood cancer in children are of interest to many parents, because in last years this disease has become increasingly mentioned in the media.

Why does leukemia occur?

Bone marrow is a complex hematopoietic organ. Under the influence of one of the risk factors, it begins to produce malignant cells that replace platelets, leukocytes or red blood cells. Doctors are not yet ready to name the exact reason why, out of several children under equal conditions, one may develop blood cancer. But they identified several risk factors:

1. The pathology often occurs in those who have been exposed to radiation. After the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the flooding of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, radiation contamination was noticed in people living in the area sharp jump number of leukemia cases.
2. In recent years ecological problems are increasingly being discussed in government and in the media. And this is no coincidence; technological progress has led to the fact that in many cities the composition of the air has changed greatly. A large amount of harmful substances also often causes cancer.
3. Cancer is not inherited, but a genetic predisposition to it can develop. If there are many cases of cancer in a family, healthy members should closely monitor their health.

The cause of cancer can also be a weakened immune system. If your child suffers from allergic reactions, then their risk of developing leukemia is lower, since their immunity is in constant tone.

For the development of the disease, it only takes one cell that has undergone a mutation. How younger age patient, the faster the cancer develops. Children under one year of age most often suffer from acute leukemia.

What symptoms should cause concern?

All parents are interested in the signs that can help identify this disease. Leukemia is scary because it is very difficult to diagnose. The first signs of the disease are usually difficult to notice. You should be wary if you notice in your child:

Often parents attribute these symptoms to manifestations of ARVI and similar ailments. If other symptoms appear along with these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Warning symptoms:

• increased dryness of the skin, its yellowish tint;
• sudden weight loss;
• apathy, drowsiness, lack of interest in favorite activities, irritability;
• increased sweating in a dream;
• reddish rash on the skin;
• increase in the whole group lymph nodes;
• enlarged liver, spleen, abdomen.

In advanced cases, the disease manifests itself with vomiting, urine mixed with blood, tarry stools, and cough. If these signs appear, it is necessary urgent hospitalization. If symptoms from the first and second groups appear simultaneously, then you should not self-medicate. Contact your doctor for an examination.

What diagnostic methods exist?

The first thing a doctor should do if the symptoms described is to conduct a blood test. For this purpose, a general and biochemical analysis. If these preliminary tests indicate the presence of cancer, then little patient appoint additional diagnostics using methods:

• radiography;
• bone marrow biopsy;
• immunohistochemistry;
• MRI or CT.

Based on the data obtained during the examination, the doctor will receive an accurate picture of the disease and find out the extent of damage to the main organs.

Prognosis and treatment methods

The first question parents ask after hearing terrible diagnosis– whether leukemia is curable or not. IN modern medicine There are two ways to get rid of this disease:

• bone marrow transplantation;
• chemotherapy,

Parents need to understand that a transplant is more difficult for a child to tolerate, which is why they first always try to get rid of the pathology through chemotherapy. This complex look treatment and it has its drawbacks and difficulties, but in 70% of cases, leukemia goes away after the course.

The child’s chances of survival are very high, regardless of the form of the disease. The easiest way to get rid of the chronic form of the disease. Leukemia in infants is considered the most dangerous. This is due to the fact that he cannot complain about bad feeling, and his immunity is not developed enough to fight the disease on his own. Signs of leukemia in infants are refusal to eat, discrepancy between psychomotor development and age, lack of weight gain, restless sleep or frequently being awake. Visit your pediatrician regularly for checkups and have your blood tested.

You shouldn’t give up; first of all, parents need to approach treatment with a positive attitude. Children are very sensitive; if you are nervous and believe that a terrible diagnosis is a death sentence, then their body’s defenses will stop fighting. Psychologists recommend not telling your child about the dangers of the disease. He should not count the long and heavy treatment something special.

Functional disorders hematopoietic system provoke blood cancer. This is very dangerous diseases Even newborns are susceptible.

According to observations, symptoms of blood cancer in children are recorded between two and five years. There are more cases of pathology among boys.

Detection of the disease is complicated by its almost asymptomatic course at the very beginning, but it is early diagnosis can save the life of a small patient.

Blood cancer in a child, also called leukemia, leukemia, leukemia, manifests itself in the form of a complex of malignant degenerations in blood cells. Gene mutation occurs.

The bone marrow intensively produces pathogenic cellular units that replace healthy cells in the body. These serious metamorphoses of the hematopoietic system provoke leukocyte, hemoglobin and platelet deficiency. Immature leukocytes begin to dominate.

A person often begins to bleed, his defenses immune system fall, he becomes vulnerable to infections. Degenerated cells move through the blood and lymphatic vessels, provoking the appearance of malignant formations in the internal organs. The tendency of young cells (they grow quickly) to mutate has been discovered.

Depending on the type of affected cells, they are divided into following forms leukemia: leukocyte (protective cells change); platelet (cells that maintain tissue integrity are degenerated) and erythrocyte (cells that saturate the body with oxygen mutate).

Causes

The circumstances that trigger blood cancer in children are still being studied and are controversial. The causes of blood cancer in childhood are varied. These include:

• genetic tendency to leukemia;
• taking certain medications;
• aggressive effects of radiation on the human body, accumulation of carcinogenic substances in it;
• consequences of environmental disasters.

As a rule, the coincidence of several factors significantly increases the chances of getting sick. The pathological process can be started by one changed cell, missed by the immune system and entering the bloodstream. In infants, symptoms develop quite quickly.

It has been noted that children with suppressed immunity are most susceptible to developing cancer. This can happen after severe pathologies that affect the protective functions (in particular, after chemotherapy treatment).

Since allergy sufferers have an overactive immune system, this reduces the chances of developing cancer. But even the absence of the described conditions sometimes does not protect against the disease. So it is important to get examined regularly and try to get rid of bad habits.

Symptoms of blood cancer in children

The disease develops in approximately the same way at any age. At first, she hardly shows herself in any typical way. Ailments that may be observed in the early period are often not associated with a tumor.

They are most often noted in retrospect, when the disease progresses and moves to later stages.

As pathologies develop, they begin to appear following symptoms blood cancer in children:

• the baby gets tired too quickly, is passive, lethargic, refuses to play and eat, and gets irritated quickly;
• the child experiences attacks of dizziness and loses consciousness;
• the skin is covered in places with a reddish rash, hematomas for no obvious reason;
• the baby sweats more intensely at night than before;
• holds on slight fever up to thirty-eight degrees;
• there are signs of respiratory inflammation;
• capillaries in the nose and mouth are broken, causing frequent nosebleeds;
• damage to the epidermis regenerates worse and can become inflamed;
• suffer from joint and bone pain;
• lymph nodes, spleen, liver swell, stomach protrudes;
• The child's body weight decreases sharply.

The symptoms increase gradually, differ slightly from each other, and appear in a different order in each patient. The most obvious of them are lymphadenitis and anemia.

The late stage of the disease is characterized by such severe manifestations as:

• cyanosis of the tissues around the mouth and nails;
• extreme anxiety accompanied by loss of consciousness;
• comatose states.
• there is pain, compression in the heart, erratic and accelerated heartbeat, hyperthermia.
• violated respiratory function, convulsive seizures occur.

Particularly threatening are signals about the beginning internal bleeding: blood in vomit, feces, in urine, when coughing, as well as asthenia, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure.

If your child has several disorders from the list, do not delay visiting a specialist. Early detection disease increases the likelihood of successful treatment.

Clinical stages of leukemia in children

Typical symptoms of blood cancer in children may indicate the form of the disease. In acute leukemia, an excess of immature diseased cells is produced. If a chronic type of cancer is diagnosed, there is an excess of degenerated granulocytes. During the blast crisis phase, neoplasms of secondary etiology grow, lymph nodes and some organs enlarge.

Each form is considered an independent hematological pathology. Blood cancer stage acute type cannot become chronic, and vice versa. The disease goes away
several phases in its development:

• at the first stage, the immune system is weakened, the cells in the bone marrow begin to mutate;
• starting from the second stage, neoplasms are formed;
• after some time, with the movement of diseased cells through the bloodstream and lymphatic system, with the growth of metastases, the third stage is recorded;
• with the onset of the fourth and final stage of the disease, tumors are discovered in other organs (as a rule, cure at this stage is no longer possible).

In childhood, relapse of leukemia can be complicated by damage to the nervous system and its components by cancer cells. With neuroleukemia, neurological disorders, loss of consciousness and migraine attacks are observed.

The disease can enter a remission phase when the blood is free of immature cells for at least five years. The terminal phase is characterized by total inhibition of hematopoietic function.

Diagnostics

If any signs of blood cancer are noticed in children, the first step is to perform a blood test. It allows you to check many important indicators, identify the presence cancerous tumor. If there is an oncological lesion of the blood, the hemoglobin level drops to sixty to twenty grams per liter. This indicates a late stage of the disease.

Erythrocyte density decreases to 1.5–1.0 × 102/l. There is also a deficiency of these young anucleate cells. They settle slowly. The number of lymphocytes varies, indicating what form and stage of the disease.

The number of platelets and leukocytes changes downward. The volume of the former drops to fifteen grams per liter, and the blood does not contain basophils and eosinophilic leukocytes at all. At acute leukemia the number of blast cells increases to almost one hundred percent.

In the case of chronic leukemia, they are represented by no more than ten percent, or are completely absent. The size uniformity of blood cells is disturbed, and leukocytes of different sizes are found.

An alarming signal may also be the overactivity of such components as bile pigment, carbonic acid diamide, gamma globulin, lactate dehydrodenase enzymes, and aspartate aminotransferase. But fibrinogen, sugar and albumin will be in short supply.

After receiving the first results, they resort to other effective manipulations:

• biopsy of bone tissue, samples of which are taken with a syringe by piercing the bone of the pelvic or chest area;
• X-ray examination, magnetic resonance or computed tomography which allow you to find areas with secondary neoplasms in the body;
• immunohistochemical study, which helps to detect and identify tumor antigens.

These diagnostics allow a comprehensive study of pathological processes, their duration and severity. The doctor has complete information about the disease, which helps him choose the optimal treatment regimen.

Treatment

Blood cancer in children, as well as in adults, is treated in the same way. Chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation are being carried out.

The goal of the first method is to get rid of all mutating pathogenic cells. This procedure is much more successfully tolerated by children and young people. Three quarters of all young patients can be saved.

The patient intravenously receives a toxic drug, which is an antitumor cytostatic, which, unfortunately, has not a selective, but a total effect. Along with cancerous cell units in the blood and lymph, absolutely healthy ones also die. The consequences of this technique are damaged hair follicles, disorders in the bone marrow, and the digestive system.

Those parts of the systems where rapid cellular renewal occurs are affected. As a result, patients go bald, suffer from attacks of nausea, diarrhea, and malaise affect their appetite. Anemia develops, and a deficiency of leukocytes is detected. Glucocorticosteroids are also used. Duration of therapy in each clinical case are selected for the patient.

This treatment lasts approximately six months. It is extremely important for the baby’s family to be with him and support him at every stage. Required condition after treatment is the return of lost red blood cells and platelets through transfusion. After all the manipulations, the disease often goes into remission, but the risk of the pathology returning is still high. Doctors try to prevent the development of metastases and may conduct radiotherapy.

Features of treatment of severe forms

At severe course the disease is likely to recur. It is in this situation that bone marrow transplantation is used to treat blood cancer in children. The graft is taken from healthy person, most often a relative (brother, sister). Many characteristics must match. The graft is then given to the patient through an IV. This procedure is preceded by suppression of the production of one’s own bone marrow by introducing special medications.

In this case, the patient is left with almost no immune protection; all the cells die. It must be kept in sterile conditions, protected from any influence environment and other people, so that the weakened body is not attacked by infection during the process of transplantation and engraftment.

The success of this surgical intervention depends on the availability of something suitable in all respects donor material, qualifications of specialists. For a complete cure, the child will have to stay in the inpatient department for six months and continue the course for about another year and a half.

Chronic forms of leukemia are treated with metabolic inhibitors that slow down the biochemistry of reproduction cancer cells. Sometimes they resort to radiotherapy and inject radioactive substances.

In any case, you will have to constantly monitor the condition of your blood and bone marrow for the rest of your life. Notify your oncologist about the slightest sign return of the disease or side effects from therapy. If a relapse has not been observed for longer than five years, then the disease may become milder.

Prognosis for blood cancer in children

The likelihood of a favorable outcome and recovery with acute leukemia directly depends on the type of tumor and the stage at which the disease is diagnosed. The pathology develops rapidly and is often fatal. Chronic leukemia gives you a better chance of survival. Acute lymphoblastic neoplasms are cured in seventy-five percent of cases of pathology in adults, myeloblastic neoplasms in fifty.

Young children are developing and are very vulnerable to the threat of cancer. If the disease is discovered late, time is not on their side. But when cancer is detected at the very beginning of its development, the survival rate is up to eighty percent.

Childhood leukemia most often affects boys between the ages of two and five. In essence, this is a malignant growth of cells of the hematopoietic system. This disease quickly spreads throughout the body through the blood, the affected cells enter the bone marrow and replace healthy ones. However, blood cancer in children is not always a fatal diagnosis.

There are several main reasons:

• Exposure to radiation (directly on the child or on the mother during pregnancy);
• Various genetic disorders (for example, if among close relatives someone has suffered or is suffering from blood cancer, the risk of the child’s disease is higher);
• Long-term use of certain medical supplies(because of this, the immune system is seriously affected, and the child is at greater risk of getting sick);
• Unfavorable environmental conditions (for example, release of toxic chemicals from factories or factories near housing).

The disease develops due to mutation of cells of the circulatory system. Mutated cells grow and multiply abnormally quickly, eventually replacing healthy ones. However, it is impossible to differentiate them from healthy ones.

Even one of these factors can provoke the disease, and their combination increases the risk many times over. However, the absence of all the reasons described above does not guarantee that a child will never encounter blood cancer, so it is very important to undergo all necessary examinations in time to be able to identify the disease at an early stage and provide necessary help in a timely manner.

Forms of blood cancer in children

In general, there are two types of cancer depending on the structure of the affected cells - acute and chronic. They are further divided into subspecies. For the onset of the disease, a mutation of just one cell is enough. There are several in the blood shaped elements– leukocytes, platelets and erythrocytes, each of them can degenerate into malignant cells and on this basis three forms of leukemia are distinguished.

Leukocyte

IN in good condition Leukocytes protect the body from the penetration of bacteria and viruses. The disease originates from lymphocytes in the bone marrow. If at least one cell has mutated, then uncontrolled growth and reproduction of malignant leukocytes begins. This form It can be acute or chronic and proceeds aggressively. However, the prognosis for a cure is quite optimistic.

Thrombocinic

Platelets usually maintain the integrity of internal tissues, but their cells can also degenerate into malignant ones with all the ensuing consequences.

Erythrocyte

Red blood cells deliver oxygen to cells. But due to their degeneration, blood cancer can occur.

Sometimes hematosorcomas are also isolated. They are obtained from lymphatic tissue. The course of the disease is aggressive. The patient develops groups of tumors that actively grow and develop thanks to all three types of blood cells.

Clinical stages

Blood cancer is classified into stages, but each of them can also be considered a separate pathology.

At the first stage, there is a sharp drop in immunity, and bone marrow cells also mutate.

In the second stage, the malignant neoplasms themselves form.

In the third stage, the affected cells begin to move through the blood and lymph throughout the body.

On the fourth stage, the tumor penetrates into the internal organs. As a rule, at this stage it is no longer possible to cure the disease.

Symptoms of pathology

The following phenomena are observed in sick children:

• Drowsiness;
• Muscle weakness;
• Painful sensations and sharp increase sensitivity of joints and bones;
• Increased fatigue;
• Enlargement of the liver and spleen, as well as lymph nodes;
• Pallor;
• Sudden and causeless increase in temperature;
• Yellowness of the skin;
• Dizziness;
• Apathy and increased irritability.
• A sharp increase in sweating;
• Purple rash;
• Labored breathing.

An ill child is lethargic, refuses to play, may refuse to eat, and rapidly loses weight.

As a rule, with the disease, the lymph nodes in the groin, neck and armpits. When you press on the enlarged nodes, pain appears.

Despite all of the above, at the initial stage of the disease it is extremely difficult to suspect a tumor based on the existing symptoms. Weakness and fatigue can easily be attributed to the negative influence of external factors. But based on the test results, you can know for sure whether you should sound the alarm. That is why it is important to undergo all necessary examinations on time.

Often blood cancer can begin with a sore throat. Other manifestations include: skin rash, worsening blood clotting. That is, if a child gets injured, the blood will flow longer than before, and the wounds will heal more slowly.

Diagnostics

When there is a suspicion of blood cancer, the specialist first of all refers for tests. You will need to take a general blood test, as well as a biochemistry test. The presence of pathology can be easily determined by the level of hemoglobin. It is worth sounding the alarm if it contains 20–60 g per liter, this is almost half the norm. The number of red blood cells also becomes much less than normal and their sedimentation rate (ESR) drops. With such an analysis, based on the number of lymphocytes, it is already possible to draw conclusions about the stage and form of the pathology.

However, a blood test still does not allow an absolutely accurate diagnosis to be established, so to confirm a positive illegitimate negative result A number of additional studies are being carried out:

• Biopsy (sampling) of bone tissue using a needle from the bones of the chest or pelvis;
• X-ray, MRI, CT. With their help, you can see whether secondary malignant neoplasms have appeared;
• Immunohistochemical study. It is used to determine the presence cancer antigen in blood. If the antigen is present, this indicates the presence of a malignant neoplasm.

If blood cancer is detected in a child, an urgent transfusion is necessary. Since children's bone marrow during the disease loses the ability to independently produce cells, and as a result, even a small bruise or a minor viral infection can lead to tragic consequences. The frequency of this procedure is determined by a specialist (the frequency can vary from one to seven times a week). Transfusion is necessary until normal bone marrow activity is restored.

Treatment

Treatment options for childhood blood cancer are the same as for adults. First, chemotherapy is used, and if it does not have an effect, then a bone marrow transplant is performed. Most often, donor brain is taken from close relatives - parents, siblings or brothers. IN postoperative period still a child for a long time is in sterile intensive care conditions.

Bone marrow transplant surgery is quite complicated. Its success depends on many factors, such as the availability of ideally suitable material for transplantation, the qualifications of specialists, proper care in the pre- and postoperative period. The fact is that when a donor organ is transplanted, the patient is almost completely deprived of immunity and therefore for him any little thing that is unnoticeable to a healthy person can end very badly.

During chemotherapy, a child is given toxic chemicals through IVs that destroy cancer cells. Unfortunately, these same substances also negatively affect healthy cells, but the child’s body recovers quite quickly from such exposure. Chemotherapy can save approximately three quarters of patients, which is a very good indicator for cancer diseases. The duration of such therapy is approximately half a year. At this stage, the support and help of loved ones is very important for the baby. Since, in addition to the psychological stress from such therapy, there are also purely physical, very unpleasant effects such as hair loss, constant feeling nausea and sometimes even vomiting. Upon completion of therapy, the child will definitely need a blood transfusion to restore its formed elements in the patient’s body. After these measures are taken, the disease usually goes into remission and ceases to bother you. However, it is important to remember that the chance of relapse remains high. Therefore, radiotherapy is sometimes also used to prevent the disease from returning and spreading.

Prevention

The exact causes of blood cancer have not yet been studied. Therefore, as a preventative measure, we can only recommend standard measures - to carry out activities aimed at maintaining the child’s immunity. After all, statistics show that children with weakened immune systems most often get sick. Avoid exposing your baby to radiation and ensure that he does not come into contact with toxic chemicals. It is also very important to ensure that your diet is correct and varied. If necessary, after consultation with a specialist, the child is given additional various vitamins and immunomodulators.

Forecast

The prognosis for recovery in children is higher than in adults, since their bodies have better regeneration and, as a result, more quickly overcome the effects of chemotherapy. According to statistics, 72% of children who later live with this disease survive full life healthy people. This chance is much higher than for adults and older people. That's why childhood cancer blood should not be regarded as a death sentence for the baby; it can be cured if the patient is provided with the necessary help in a timely manner.

In any case, only a specialist can give a relatively accurate prognosis, based on the type and stage of leukemia. In chronic forms of the disease, the chances of recovery are higher than in acute forms.

Leukemia is a whole group of malignant diseases of the hematopoietic system. All diseases in this group have general characteristics, which lies in the fact that malignant clones are formed from hematopoietic cells of the bone marrow.

Causes of the disease

There are many reasons for the development of leukemia. This disease can be provoked by viral infections. Some viruses act on the human body in such a way that normal cells turn into cancer. Leukemia can be inherited. Research shows that if at least one family member suffers from leukemia, then this disease will certainly manifest itself in his grandchildren, children or great-grandchildren. If one or both parents have chromosomal defects, their children are often born with leukemia.

Sometimes there are cases when leukemia develops due to the presence of defects in the immune system. Leukemia can be caused by leukemia and chemical factors. That is, leukemia can be provoked by antibiotics of the penicillin group, cytostatics, they are prescribed to the patient for the treatment of cancer, as well as cephalosporins. These drugs should only be taken when absolutely necessary. TO chemicals that can influence the occurrence of the disease include carpeting, linoleum, detergents(synthetic origin). Leukemia is also caused by radiation exposure.

Signs and course of leukemia in children

The disease develops gradually. The period from the onset of the disease to the appearance of the first clinical symptoms is at least two months. During this period, pathological cells accumulate, and the disease makes itself felt. But during these two months, the first complaints begin to appear, and the parents of a sick child most often do not pay attention to them. First of all, the child’s behavior changes. He gets tired quickly, studies worse, refuses to eat, loses interest in games and peers. The body's defenses are reduced, so even initial stages Leukemia may manifest itself as colds and other infectious diseases, which are accompanied by an increase in temperature. Sometimes elevated temperature body may be directly related to leukemia itself. If you take blood tests during this time, some changes will be noticeable, but they are not enough to make a diagnosis.

If such changes are observed, then observation of the sick child is recommended. After a certain period, specific symptoms of the disease begin to appear. Many of the children complain of pain in the spine and legs. Pain may appear first in one area, then in another and is persistent. Often patients stop moving and are treated by a traumatologist and cardiologist for polyarthritis or injury. There is pallor skin, bruises appear. In some cases, signs of leukemia appear more slowly and may include bone pain, infection, bleeding and fever. If you examine the patient, then in addition to signs of anemia, you can find an enlarged spleen, less often - liver, inflammation and enlargement of lymph nodes, micropolyadenia.

In the blood test, changes are noticeable that are characteristic of leukemia: reduced levels of hemoglobin, platelets, red blood cells, accelerated ESR. The number of white blood cells in the blood can be low, high or very high. The more blast cells from the bone marrow enter the blood, the higher the number of leukocytes will be. If the child is healthy, then there are no blasts in the blood test, but if they are detected, this indicates the presence of leukemia. In this case, a bone marrow puncture is performed. This is done in order to study how these cells are built and what type of cell line they belong to (T or B).

The data obtained help in diagnosing the type of leukemia, and also helps in identifying additional risk factors for the unfavorable course of the disease and in prescribing adequate treatment.

Diagnosis of leukemia

This disease is diagnosed based on the results of a biochemical and general blood test. Leukemia is confirmed by the results of bone marrow biopsy studies - a bone marrow biopsy. For biopsy, material is taken from trephination of the scallop in ilium or puncture of the sternum.

Treatment of leukemia

The treatment for this disease is to take all measures so that there is not a single leukemia cell in the body. Chemotherapy is actively used, immunotherapy is less developed. There are different treatment programs for leukemia. Such programs use several drugs that have antitumor effects. The average course of treatment lasts two years. The treatment program is selected individually for each child by the doctor, taking into account the type of leukemia and the absence or presence of factors for the possible return of the disease.

If drug therapy does not help, a bone marrow transplant becomes necessary. Relatives of the child are usually used as donors if they are suitable based on research results. The sooner you detect the disease and seek help, the more likely and faster recovery will occur.

Diagnostics

To prevent leukemia, you need to treat all viral infections in a timely manner, eat right, and healthy image life, refuse self-medication and take only those medications prescribed by the doctor.

Blood cancer in children

Unfortunately, blood cancer in children is quite common. Traditionally, children between the ages of two and five years are most often affected, and the majority of victims are boys. Blood cancer is a systemic disease hematopoietic tissue which is malignant. The morphological substrate of this disease is immature blast cells that affect the bone marrow.

In children, cancer can occur due to the effects of radiation (for example, a mother can be irradiated while pregnant) or a violation of the cellular genetic apparatus (as a hereditary factor). During the development of the disease, certain mutations occur in the cells responsible for hematopoiesis. In addition, the cells are constantly growing and it is practically impossible to distinguish them from normally functioning cells and to change the rate of maturation. The fact is that all cell groups that form a leukemic tumor come from a single table cell.

Blood cancer in children has the same symptoms as in adults. These symptoms may appear at an early stage. The patient may not even know about his condition, but he will have pain in the area abdominal cavity(usually in the upper abdomen). In addition, there is pain in the joints and some aching in the bones. Then frequent bleeding may occur, which is quite difficult to stop, bruises and bruises easily form, and the size of the liver and lymph nodes increases. The patient feels constant apathy and weakness, sometimes there may be a fever, and he may feel a regular urge to urinate. In addition, patients are susceptible infectious diseases. Among them we can also highlight nausea, which patients sometimes describe as unexpected signs of malaise, which may be accompanied by a feeling of dizziness and even vomiting. And even if the patient has not previously suffered from seasickness or motion sickness vehicle, then after the onset of the disease such symptoms may appear. There may be increased sweating at night. As for weight, it may begin to decrease for no apparent reason (appetite, however, also worsens). Also as a symptom early manifestation blood cancer may cause frequent sore throats, in addition, there may be skin rashes.

But if on early stages the disease has not been identified, then a late stage occurs when urgent health care. It is characterized by the occurrence of symptoms such as the appearance of a bluish tint to the lips and nails, the appearance increased anxiety(as a change in levels of consciousness), frequent fainting, decreased response to various external stimuli. There may be severe pain in the cardiac region, tightness and pressure in the chest, and palpitation. Body temperature may rise (up to thirty-eight degrees Celsius) and heart rate may increase (that is, tachycardia). Shortness of breath and hoarse breathing appears, or it is simply difficult respiratory process. Quite severe pain occurs in the abdomen, uncontrollable and heavy bleeding. Required for the child ongoing care, and perhaps someone will need a live-in caregiver.

As a rule, children can suffer from two types of leukemia - acute and chronic. And the form of the disease is not determined by the duration of certain clinical manifestations, and the structure of cancer cells. Acute form may be characterized by the presence of immature cells in a common cellular substrate. Chronic form may be characterized by the presence of mature elements in cancer cells.

Quite often, a type of blood cancer called “neuroleukemia” is detected in children. In this case, the child may exhibit neurological symptoms(including damage to the membranes of the brain and brain tissue), a feeling of dizziness, headaches, and so on. This form of the disease can develop in case of relapse of the disease - when a new round of cancer appears some time after treatment has been completed. Then it is necessary to use new chemotherapy drugs, since treating a child with such a relapse is very difficult. A general blood test for cancer shows the need urgent treatment. And the treatment of cancer in children is practically no different from the treatment of adults. This is a chemotherapy method and a bone marrow transplant. And it should be noted that in children possible effect Chemotherapy usually results in better results, eating in adults. The fact is that the child’s body is able to recover faster after the treatment procedure. When a bone marrow transplant occurs, the donor is often one of the child’s close relatives.

Blood sarcoma is a fairly life-threatening disease and to diagnose it, it is necessary to carry out a mandatory blood transfusion of the child. This is necessary because in a sick child the bone marrow stops producing any cells. And if the obligatory blood transfusion is not done in time, the child may die from the most common infection and the slightest hemorrhage (for a healthy person such troubles would not pose a danger). There are also drugs that can restore the functioning of the child’s bone marrow, but the drug’s immediate effect cannot be said, and therefore the child will still need certain portions of blood at first. So some children receive transfusions once a week, while some poor children receive transfusions every day.

Of course, there are drugs that can renew the functioning of the bone marrow in a child, but their effect does not begin immediately, and therefore the patient will definitely need new portions of blood at first. Some children with blood cancer need blood transfusions as often as once a week, and for others every day.

Chemotherapy is also carried out, such as intravenous administration highly toxic and strong action. These drugs are taken in large doses, and the therapy is aimed at destroying all foreign aggressive cancer cells. But this can also damage your cells. Because of this they can suffer quickly developing tissues from among the normal ones - including cells hair follicle(hair may fall out), gastrointestinal cells (nausea with vomiting may occur, stool may be upset), suffers reproductive system and bone marrow (from time to time anemia occurs, as a decrease in the number of red blood cells, or leukopenia, as a decrease in the number of white blood cells. And today, scientists around the world are working to develop drugs for treatment that will not affect normally functioning cells. However, at the moment such medicine does not exist, and cancer cells are very similar to normally functioning cells.

Many people are interested in how long people with blood cancer live. If you are not treated on time, then five months will be enough. But it all depends on the diagnosis and the form of leukemia.

Blood cancer - symptoms in children

Blood cancer in children is a group oncological diseases circulatory system, which are characterized by the occurrence of gene mutations in bone marrow tissue, resulting in increased formation of malignant cells that displace the physiological elements of the blood. Changes in the structural composition of the circulatory system in both children and adults lead to cytopenia (decrease in the number of leukocytes and platelets), anemia (lack of hemoglobin), frequent bleeding and infectious diseases. Leukemia is characterized by the spread of malignant cells through the lymphatic system with the formation of metastases in the liver and spleen.

Blood cancer in children - causes

Cancers of the circulatory system in children mainly arise for the following reasons:

1. Exposure to ionizing radiation, which causes mutation at the cellular level. Highly active radiological rays can have a carcinogenic effect both in the prenatal period and after the birth of the child.
2. Systemic penetration of chemical carcinogens into the body.
3. Genetic predisposition. Availability malignant neoplasms being in direct relatives increases the chances of developing cancer in a child several times.

Blood cancer - symptoms in children

In most cases, the initial period of the disease is asymptomatic, which significantly complicates the primary oncological diagnostics. During this period there may be following signs cancer in children:

• general malaise, lethargy and drowsiness
• impaired blood supply to brain tissue manifests itself in the form of memory impairment
• long-term healing of superficial scratches and injuries with frequent suppuration of the wound surface
• the appearance of a sick child has such features as pale skin and dark circles around eyes.

  Late signs of blood cancer in children include:

• persistent increase in body temperature to low-grade levels
• enlargement and tenderness of regional lymph nodes
• frequent bacterial and viral diseases.

  Blood cancer in a child - diagnosis

  Upon detection of the first alarming symptoms Doctors prescribe a detailed blood test, which may reveal changes in hematological parameters in the direction of a decrease in formed elements and the presence of immature blast cells. Based on the quantitative composition of the circulatory system, the form of malignant lesion is determined.

  

  The final diagnosis is usually made on the basis of a bone marrow biopsy. This technique includes the collection of biological material directly from the source of pathology and subsequent histological analysis. Cytological diagnosis allows you to determine the type of tumor and its spread.

  To detect secondary foci of malignant neoplasms, the oncologist prescribes radiology, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. These studies scan internal organs and bone tissue using x-rays.

  Clinical stages of leukemia in children

  1. The first or initial stage is characterized by a decrease in the activity of the immune system and the beginning of cancerous degeneration of bone marrow cells.
  2. At the second stage, the concentration of oncological tissues and the formation of a cancerous tumor occurs.
  3. The third stage of blood cancer. At this stage, malignant cells actively circulate through the circulatory system and take part in the formation of metastatic lesions.
  4. For the fourth or later stage, the detection of cancerous foci in the internal organs is considered typical. At this stage, the disease is incurable and requires exclusively palliative treatment.

  Treatment of blood cancer in children

  Treatment of malignant lesions of the circulatory system in children includes two main methods of therapy:

  This technique is considered a fairly effective anticancer agent and involves the internal administration of cytostatic agents. Systemic action Such drugs are aimed at destroying cancer cells not only in the bloodstream, but also in the lymphatic system. The course of chemotherapy is calculated individually for each patient. Duration conservative treatment is about six months.

  Children with cancer during chemotherapy are in the inpatient department of the hematology clinic. Such patients should be isolated from external environment due to high susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections. This is explained by the fact that during drug treatment in the body the number of leukocytes responsible for the state of the immune system sharply decreases.

  Surgery is a very complex medical procedure, which consists of the sequential destruction of all bone marrow cells and transplantation of donor material directly into the bone tissue. Such surgery requires careful selection of donor and highly qualified surgical team.

  Forecast

  Early diagnosis of blood cancer in children leads to a favorable outcome even after chemotherapy. The failure of cytotoxic drugs or relapse of the disease requires a bone marrow transplant. Surgical method treatment includes 80% postoperative survival. Diagnosis of pathology on late stage cancer development ensures a negative outcome of therapy.

  Symptoms and treatment of blood cancer in children

  Blood cancer in children, leukemia or childhood leukemia - insidious disease, which is almost impossible to recognize in the initial stages. The disease is characterized by a mutation in the cells of the hematopoietic system. Leukemia does not have a specific localization; tumor cells spread freely throughout the body, which can lead to numerous metastases.

  A favorable outcome of the disease depends on the time of diagnosis - than cancer before discovered, the greater the chance of saving the child.

  Causes

  No one can say for sure why children develop cancer. After all, children are not exposed to carcinogens - they do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, are not exposed to harmful effects in industrial positions. What could be the reasons for the appearance malignant tumor at such an early age?

  Science can only guess possible reasons mutations of cells of the hematopoietic system, among them:

• hereditary predisposition to leukemia
• weakening of the immune system after serious illness, especially if chemotherapy was used in treatment
• strong radioactive exposure and unfavorable environment.

  These causes will not necessarily cause blood cancer in children; they simply increase the risk of developing the disease. More often trigger factor are a combination of these reasons. Due to negative external influences and with reduced immunity, the body is not able to fight mutated blood cells. Their number increases, they replace healthy cells, and the disease progresses. Then its first symptoms appear.

  Symptoms

  None specific symptoms Cancer does not have blood. The disease cannot be recognized in the early stages, since its symptoms are perceived as a normal reaction of the body to external factors. Gradually their number increases, the child’s condition worsens, and then the parents notice the manifestation of the pathology and take the baby to the doctor.

  The symptoms of leukemia are:

• pale skin and anemia
• increased fatigue, lethargy and weakness
• slight rash, bruises, minor bruises
• low-grade fever (37-38° C)
• bleeding gums, frequent nosebleeds
• aching bones
• enlarged lymph nodes, spleen, liver
• sudden weight loss.

  Symptoms do not appear overnight, they follow each other in different orders. Some children have more pronounced anemic signs, others have hemorrhagic (bleeding), and others have general intoxication.

  Parents often misinterpret symptoms at first. Pallor is explained by insufficient walks, fatigue - by overload in classes and vitamin deficiency, rashes and bruises - by allergies and injuries due to games, fever and weight loss - by a common cold. This is where the insidiousness lies malignant disease blood in children - it is difficult to notice. The most visible signs– this is an enlargement of the lymph nodes and severe anemia.

  When should you sound the alarm?

  The above symptoms are not a reason to panic, but you should still consult a doctor. It is especially important to visit a pediatrician if the symptoms are extensive. You can see that the signs are divided into groups:

• anemic – loss of strength, dizziness, passivity, paleness of the mucous membranes and skin
• intoxication – immobility, weakness, aching bones, itching, sweating, weight loss, fever
• hemorrhagic - bleeding, rash in the form of small red dots, bruises that appear for no reason, etc.
• proliferative – enlargement of the abdomen and lymph nodes.

  Symptoms collected in groups are called syndromes. If children experience at least one of these syndromes, it should be urgently shown to a pediatrician. If the doctor cannot give a specific answer to your questions, it makes sense to visit a hematologist.

  Diagnostic methods

  It is extremely important to correctly diagnose blood cancer. An incorrect diagnosis and incorrect treatment can lead to a worsening of the condition. To detect this type of cancer in children, the following methods are used:

• studying symptoms and drawing up an initial clinical picture
• general blood analysis
• biochemical blood test
• bone marrow histology.

  If a child is diagnosed with leukemia, urgent and long-term treatment is required.

  How can doctors help?

  The main treatment is chemotherapy. The child is prescribed a course of cytostatic drugs that have many side effects that will have to be endured in order to save his life. These include complete hair loss, pain, nausea and multiple vomiting, severe damage to other cells growing in children's body.

  The full course of treatment for cancer in children lasts about two years, the first six months must be spent in a hospital under the close supervision of medical specialists. Due to severe damage to leukocytes - cells of the immune system - the body is extremely susceptible to various viral, bacterial and fungal infections, so the child is protected from contact with the outside world.

  The beginning of chemotherapy is the most difficult period for children. For several weeks they are given daily intravenous drips, are especially pronounced side effects. Therefore, the support of a close relative is necessary; the mother or father will need to stay in the hospital with the child.

  After chemotherapy, platelets and red blood cells are replenished in the child's body using blood transfusions. This is usually when the cancer goes into remission. Therapy is aimed at preventing metastases; according to the doctor’s decision, radiation therapy may be prescribed.

  In especially severe cases, after some time the patient experiences a relapse of the disease. In this case, complete treatment may require a bone marrow transplant; blood relatives or another blood-compatible person serve as the donor.

  Disease prognosis

  Childhood leukemia is not a death sentence. Children aged 2-5 years are most susceptible to developing cancer. This disease is one of the most difficult to treat, but the survival rate of children with this diagnosis is still high. According to statistics, over 72% of children cope with treatment and continue to live, while among adults this figure is about 40%.

  Timely treatment is the basis for success in the fight against cancer of the circulatory system. Monitor your child’s health, do not put off going to the doctor and do not put off therapy if he has been given a terrible diagnosis. Faith, patience and care for the baby during a difficult period for him will contribute to a favorable outcome.

Blood cancer is the most common type of cancer in children. In the medical community, this disease is called leukemia or leukemia. In a child with blood cancer, a a large number of abnormal white blood cells, which increases the risk infectious diseases and other problems.

Causes of blood cancer

Doctors don't know exactly what causes most cases of leukemia in children. But certain factors can increase the risk of developing blood cancer, although their presence does not mean that all children will develop the disease. Most children with leukemia have no known risk factors. The risk of developing childhood leukemia increases if the child has:

• Some hereditary diseases– for example, Down syndrome.
• Congenital problems with the immune system - for example, ataxia telangiectasia.
• Close relatives with blood cancer.
• History of exposure to high doses of radiation, chemotherapy, or certain chemical substances(for example, benzene solvent).
• History of immunosuppression – for example, organ transplantation.

Types of leukemia in children

In general, all leukemias are divided into acute and chronic. In children, the vast majority of blood cancer cases are acute. Acute childhood leukemia is also divided into:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute lymphocytic leukemia.
• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute myeloid leukemia.

This division depends on which leukocytes - lymphocytes or myelocytes - are involved in the development of the disease. ALL most often develops in young children aged 2 to 8 years. AML can appear at any age, but is more common in children under 2 years of age and adolescents. Most young patients have acute lymphocytic leukemia, only 20% of them are diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Chronic leukemia in children is extremely rare.

Clinical picture of childhood leukemia

Symptoms of blood cancer are usually caused by problems with bone marrow. As leukemia cells accumulate in it, normal hematopoietic cells may be displaced. As a result, the child may experience a deficiency normal red blood cells, leukocytes and platelets. This deficiency can be detected by a blood test, but can also cause clinical symptoms. Leukemia cells can invade other areas of the body, causing corresponding clinical signs.

Symptoms associated with low red blood cell counts (anemia)

Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, so their deficiency can cause:

• Fatigue.
• General weakness.
• Feeling cold.
• Dizziness and confusion of thoughts.
• Headache.
• Shortness of breath.
• Pale skin.

Symptoms associated with a decrease in the number of normal white blood cells

Normal white blood cells are important for the functioning of the immune system, so a decrease in their number leads to:

• Infectious diseases. Children with leukemia can very often suffer from infectious pathologies. Although total White blood cells in a child with leukemia are often elevated due to the large number of leukemia cells; these cells do not protect his body from infections, as normal white blood cells do.
• Rising temperature. Fever is often a sign of infection, but some children with leukemia may have a fever without it.

Symptoms Associated with Low Platelet Counts

Blood platelets normally help stop bleeding, so their deficiency can cause:

• Easy bruising, hematomas and bleeding.
• Frequent and heavy bleeding from the nose and gums.

Symptoms associated with the penetration of leukemia cells into other organs

Leukemia cells can spread to other areas of the body, causing the following symptoms:

• Joint pain is caused by a buildup of abnormal cells near the surface of bones or inside joints.
• Enlargement of the abdomen – accumulation of leukemia cells can occur in the liver and spleen, increasing their size.
• Decreased appetite and weight loss – with a greatly enlarged liver and spleen, these organs can put pressure on the stomach and intestines. This results in the child feeling full after eating a small amount of food.
• Enlarged lymph nodes – leukemia cells can invade lymph nodes, which can be found in certain areas of the body (neck, armpits, groin).
• Cough and difficulty breathing. Leukemia cells can invade mediastinal structures that put pressure on the trachea, making breathing difficult and causing coughing. Sometimes they even accumulate in small blood vessels lungs, which can also cause these symptoms.
• Swelling of the hands and face. Enlarged mediastinal organs can compress the superior vena cava, impairing the flow of blood from the arms and face, causing them to swell. This may also be accompanied by dizziness, headaches, and disturbances of consciousness.
• Headaches, cramps, vomiting. In a small proportion of children with leukemia, abnormal cells may invade the brain and spinal cord, causing neurological symptoms.
• Skin rash, gum problems. Leukemia cells can burrow into the gums, causing bleeding, swelling and pain, and into the skin, causing small, dark spots.

It should be remembered that any of these symptoms can occur with other diseases.