What causes cancer in young children? Childhood cancer: how not to miss stage I of the disease

One of the most terrible trials for parents is a serious illness of a child. Our children are in such need of support, they are so defenseless, and who, if not us, should protect them from all troubles, misfortunes and diseases. Even common cold causes us anxiety and concern, and when it comes to dangerous disease, where there is no guarantee of a favorable outcome, panic and shock intensify. When a child gets cancer, their parents go through the same stages of grief as an adult who receives a cancer diagnosis. The child is our continuation, and his illness is perceived as our own. Therefore, parents of a sick child also need support, first of all, from a professional psychologist.

When we learn that our child has been diagnosed with cancer, we experience shock and disbelief. Consciousness refuses to accept the very thought of cancer. We think that this is some kind of mistake, that an incorrect diagnosis has been made, we turn to other specialists and ask them to double-check the examination results. We want to hope that the doctors were wrong, because this happens. We feel horror and fear of loss, many other fears - not being able to cope, not being able to, not finding enough funds, making a mistake in choosing a doctor and hospital. There will be doubts when agreeing on treatment methods, fear of surgery, long and painful therapy, possible appeals to healers, a search for miracle drugs. It seems to us that life is over!

Anger and rage are almost inevitable. The child is not to blame for anything, it’s unfair, why does he have to suffer so much? In this situation, there is no need to be afraid of aggressive reactions, you need to give vent to anger, because without going through aggression towards fate, it is difficult to come to a real perception of what happened and accept the situation as it is.

We are ready to do anything to ensure that our child recovers; we would change places with him without hesitation, we would give our lives if only he were alive and well. We are trying to come to an agreement with God and fate so that everything ends well.

One of the main psychological problems The problem that parents of children with cancer face is a feeling of guilt. Sometimes it takes on a painful scale, reaching neurotic state. We begin to blame ourselves - we didn’t protect the child, didn’t pay enough attention, passed on unfavorable genetics, didn’t do everything we could for him. It is important to realize as early as possible that neither you nor anyone else is to blame for what happened, it just happened that way - the child is sick, and he can and should be treated. Therefore, if you feel that you are overwhelmed by depression, it is better to contact a psychologist or psychotherapist - your child needs you and your support now!

Overcoming the feeling of hopelessness and self-pity is necessary in order to help your child overcome the disease. This is not the time to give in to despair, we need to pull ourselves together and provide everything the child needs, we need to act. Remember - our children are very sensitive to our emotions and moods, so let your child understand that the situation is under control, that you are his support, on whom he can always rely, convey to him your confidence that everything will be fine. Believe in your strengths and tune in for the best, support your child’s optimism, faith in a successful outcome and love for life.

If there are other children in the family, you need to explain to them what is happening, tell them at an accessible level about the disease, what needs to be done, how and how you can help the sick person, how to treat him, that you cannot get infected from the sick person. It may happen that healthy children will feel that they are not given enough attention, that they are neglected, that their brother or sister is loved more. It is necessary to involve them in all possible efforts to care for the sick, and also to find time for full communication with them, not to deprive them of the natural joys of childhood and holidays, and to do everything so that there is no oppressive atmosphere in the house.

In the current situation, family unity, mutual understanding and mutual assistance are required. You cannot accumulate fears and tension in yourself without giving vent to your emotions, because sooner or later this overwhelming burden will still break through, but in a destructive form. It is important to combine your efforts and share the responsibilities of caring for the patient, to involve all relatives in helping, in order to give each other the opportunity to be distracted and rest from time to time.

It would be better for the child to avoid excessive guardianship Houses. Of course, you can’t treat him like he’s healthy and pretend that nothing happened, but you shouldn’t elevate the disease to an absolute and subordinate the whole life in the family to it. Let the child do everything that he is able to do, do not isolate him from everyday activities, do not take everything upon yourself, help him when it is really necessary and appropriate. This will make it easier to cope with the disease.

After completing the course of treatment, when the child is strong enough, you need to return to your normal lifestyle. The opportunity to attend school is very important; for the child, this indicates that he has overcome the illness and can live as before. In a gentle manner, you can resume playing sports, having previously discussed this possibility with your doctor and taking all safety measures into account. This promotes physical and mental recovery after a long and painful treatment, hospitals, procedures. In general, at any stage of treatment, it is very important to give positive emotions and joy to the child, to maintain his interest in life, this can serve as a powerful incentive for recovery.

Unfortunately, in Russia the situation with the treatment of childhood cancer is less favorable than in developed countries of the world, because funding for the purchase of drugs and equipment of hospitals, the creation of specialized medical centers and support services, advanced training of oncologists is insufficient. Unfortunately, there are situations when doctors, especially in the regions, refuse to hospitalize a sick child, considering recovery impossible. You can't despair! Fight with all means for the life and recovery of the child, contact charitable foundations and organizations created to combat cancer, establish connections with children's cancer centers that have modern equipment and use the most advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies - Children's Hospital No. 1 and City Hospital No. 31 St. Petersburg, Russian Scientific Oncology Center named after. Blokhin and the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital of Moscow. Do not be tempted to seek help from witch doctors and healers, to avoid difficult and painful treatment, the sooner you contact professional doctors, the greater the child’s chances of recovery.

Do not despair - now it is very important to break the stereotype that childhood oncology is incurable. Modern methods Therapy can cure up to 80% of cancer cases in children. Childhood itself provides more opportunities to fight the disease and recover after treatment. Never lose hope!

The types of cancer that develop in children are, in most cases, significantly different from oncological diseases that affect adults. In addition, lifestyle, like environmental factors, do not play a special role here. Thus, cancers in children most often arise as a result of mutations in the DNA of cells.

Unfortunately, because modern achievements in the field of treatment of pediatric oncology are not particularly large; according to statistics, the prognosis for more than 80% of children with cancer on average is no more than 5 years. Thus, cancer is still the second leading cause of death in children under 15 years of age (the first place is occupied by accidents and accidents).

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Cancer in children: symptoms depending on the type of cancer

In most cases, in children it is quite difficult to recognize precisely early stages, subsequently making treatment more difficult and not as effective. It is important to know and understand that even the most seemingly ordinary bumps or bruises, pallor or headache in children may indicate the development of a cancer process in the child’s body, as well as mask those same early signs oncology.

Types of cancer in children and their symptoms:

Leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for about 34% of all childhood cancers. This cancer usually occurs between 2 and 4 years of age and is more common in boys than girls.

Leukemia begins in the bone marrow and spreads into the blood, after which it can easily metastasize to other healthy tissues and organs. Three out of four cases of childhood leukemia unfortunately end fatal for the patient.

Blood cancer - symptoms in children:

• Pain in bones and joints
• Constant fatigue
• Pallor
• Yellow skin tone
• Severe weakness and malaise
• Bleeding
• Sudden weight loss

Brain cancer in children

Like tumor diseases nervous system in children, accounts for about 27% of childhood cancers. There are many types of brain tumors, and treatment and prognosis vary from person to person. Most childhood brain cancers begin growing in the lower part of the brain, such as the cerebellum or brainstem. Although not similar to adult brain cancer, the symptoms remain the same.

Symptoms of brain cancer in children:

• Constant severe headaches
• Dizziness
• Deterioration of vision
• Problems with balance and coordination
• Decreased hearing quality
• Difficulty speaking
• Frequent vomiting

Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (malignant neoplasm of the nervous system) most often develops in newborns or children early age, starting its growth from immature nerve cells. Mainly in children under 5 years of age this disease produced in the adrenal glands and accounts for 7% of childhood cancers in the United States.

Neuroblastoma is more common in boys than girls, and only 1-2% of children with it have the disease. family history(genetic predisposition).

Symptoms of neuroblastoma in children:

• Walking impairment
• Changes in the eyes (bulge appears, dark circles under the eyes, heavy eyelid syndrome)
• Pain in various places of the body
• Diarrhea
• High blood pressure

Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor)

Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor) – kidneys. It is a fairly common type of kidney cancer in children, accounting for about 5% of all pediatric cancers.

Wilms tumors usually affect only one paired organ. This disease can affect even the smallest children - from birth to 4 years. Nephroblastoma does not occur in children over 6 years of age. At least 500 new cases of nephroblastoma are diagnosed each year in the United States, where 9 out of 10 children are successfully treated.

Kidney cancer in children - symptoms:

• Edema
• Tumor in the abdomen
• Fever
• Pain in the kidney area
• Nausea
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss

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Lymphoma

Lymphoma begins with cancerous damage to certain cells immune system which are called lymphocytes. Lymphatic tumors affect The lymph nodes and others lymphatic tissue, for example tonsils. They can also affect the bone marrow and other organs, which can cause various symptoms depending on the location and growth of the mutated cancer cells.

There are two main types of lymphomas:

1. Hodgkin's lymphoma (sometimes called Hodgkin's disease)

It is rare and occurs mainly in children under 5 years of age. The course of the cancer process in children is similar to lymphoma in adults, based on which the treatment methods for both are often the same.

1. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Compared to Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is more common in young children (under 3 years of age).

The most common types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children are different from those in adults. Non-Hodgkin's tumors in children tend to rapid growth, therefore, they require intensive, correct and timely treatment.

Lymphoma - symptoms in children:

• Enlargement, inflammation of the lymph nodes in the armpits, groin, neck
• Rapid weight loss
• Fever
• Excessive sweating
• General weakness

Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in children

Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma are the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumors bone tissue in children.

Osteosarcoma is more common than Ewing's sarcoma and usually affects the bones around the knee. Ewing's sarcoma may also affect pelvic bones, hips, forearm or ribs in children.

It can occur in children as young as 10 years of age and accounts for approximately 6% of all childhood cancers.

Osteosarcoma in children - symptoms:

• Bone pain
• Swelling and tenderness around bones or joints
• It becomes increasingly difficult for a cancer patient to move and move the affected limb
• Bones become brittle, leading to frequent fractures
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Anemia

Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma in children is rapidly developing, highly malignant sarcoma soft tissue, which arises from undifferentiated striated muscle cells. This type of cancer can occur in different places body: head, neck, around the eyes, limbs (shoulders, arms, legs), pelvis and genitourinary system, in the chest and lungs.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is diagnosed in 5–8% of all childhood cancers and, as a rule, affects children aged 2 to 6 years. Symptoms and first signs depend on the location of the tumor.

Rhabdomyosarcoma in children - symptoms:

• Noticeable lump, swelling, severe swelling
• Swelling of the eyes
• Protruding eyeball
• Difficulty swallowing
• Sudden deterioration of vision
• Abdominal pain (lasting more than a week)

Many people have the question “ Why do people get cancer??. There is no clear answer to this question. Leading scientists around the world are working to find out credible reason cancer development, which triggers trigger oncological destruction.

Today it is known that they begin to form at the cellular level. Inside every cell human body there is a DNA molecule that controls the processes cell division. Under the influence of external carcinogenic factors occurs pathological change DNA structure, which causes the onset of atypical and uncontrolled cell division. Conglomeration significant amount cancer elements require intensive intake nutrients. To do this, tumor tissues build their own blood supply system, through which malignant cells receive glucose.

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Why children and adults get cancer: causes and risk factors

Carcinogens:

The first carcinogen was discovered in the 18th century by Dr. Potto, who, during the treatment process, drew attention to increased amount cancerous lesions in chimney sweeps. They are often diagnosed with a scrotal mass due to frequent contact skin with biological active substance containing a carcinogen. During scientific research, similar substances were discovered (asbestos, tobacco smoke), which have a detrimental effect on the superficial skin and mucous membrane.

Radiation:

Ionizing radiation plays a key role in the development of cancer. This fact is confirmed by the increase in the number of cancer lesions thyroid gland 40 times in people living in the vicinity of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And the health status of the population of the Chernobyl zone is even worse.

Viral infection:

Latest Scientific research indicate the viral nature of some types of cancer. In particular, the etiological role of the papilloma virus in the occurrence of cervical tumors, as well as what really exists, has recently been proven.

Genetic predisposition:

Why do children get cancer?, whose close relatives suffered from cancer, is explained by a genetic factor. Persons with a family history of patients with malignant neoplasms have increased risk formation of cancer.

Human lifestyle:

Even in ancient times, healers argued that the nature of nutrition, lifestyle and habits of a person significantly influence the occurrence of diseases.

Each region of the globe is characterized by a specific diet. And it is no coincidence that oncologists observe a certain type distribution of cancer diseases.

Why do people get cancer and what preventive measures are there?

Everyone knows that it is much more effective to prevent a disease than to treat it. This idea is especially relevant in cancer cases. The role of cancer prevention is early diagnosis malignant neoplasms. Cancer in the initial stages in almost all clinical cases is considered completely curable or capable of going into stable remission.

In economically developed countries, most budget funds, intended for the needs of the medical industry, is used to finance preventive measures and improve diagnostic equipment. This policy ultimately allows for significant financial savings on the treatment of cancer patients in the later stages of the disease.

Why do adults get cancer?

One of the functions of the immune system is considered to be constant cellular monitoring for the timely detection and neutralization of mutated cells. This control is carried out with the help of T-killers, which are special immune cells that analyze surface tissue receptors to detect atypical elements.

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Why do metastases form?

Metastasis is the formation of a secondary focus of cancer tissue that has spread from the primary tumor through the lymphatic and blood vessels. Metastatic lesions predominantly develop in the later stages of pathology. In the process of growing malignant neoplasm destruction occurs intercellular connections, which provokes the release and penetration of cancer cells into the lymphatic or bloodstream. It should be noted that distant organs significantly worsen the prognosis of oncology.

Can we cure cancer?

On modern stage development medicine has everything in its arsenal necessary funds to cure almost all forms of cancer. But to achieve a positive therapeutic result a necessary condition is timely diagnosis diseases. For many years now the most effective method anti-cancer treatment remains surgical intervention to remove cancerous tissue. Radiation and radiological therapy in most cases are aids and excellent preventive measure regarding the development of cancer relapses. IN Lately high efficiency show alternative means therapy in the form of “Cyber ​​Knife” and laser surgery.

Oncological educational program: why children get cancer and how to recognize the first symptoms Since the beginning of autumn, every Monday on E1.RU there have been interviews with oncologist specialists who talked about cancer diseases different organs and their treatment. Today, on the last day of November, we are closing the “Oncological educational program” section and in the final publication we propose to talk about childhood oncology: how malignant tumors appear in children and whether it can be prevented or at least noticed in time. We asked these questions to the pediatric surgeon-oncologist of the Regional Children's clinical hospital N 1 to Sergei Tuponogov. – Sergei Nikolaevich, why do very young children get cancer? After all, they don’t have bad habits, like adults, and radiation and other environmental factors have not yet had time to affect them? Who is to blame for this - nature or parents? – Oncological diseases in children in the first years of life are mostly manifestations of various disorders that occurred during the formation of their organs and tissues during pregnancy. This could have been caused by smoking of the mother or other relatives, others bad habits or the same radiation. The genetic factor is also very important. For example, in our center, two children were operated on for kidney cancer; they had the same father and different mothers. It turned out that their father passed on the gene that caused cancer to them. Therefore, it is quite difficult to say unequivocally who is to blame here. Of course, the child himself is not to blame for anything. There are genetic damages that occur during pregnancy in a mother who monitors her health very strictly. There is also something that is inherited initially, and this can be prevented if married couple at the stage of planning the birth of a child, consult a medical geneticist. And, of course, you should definitely consult a geneticist if children in the family have already suffered from cancer. We now know several syndromes when certain developmental defects in children are combined with cancer. In such families, parents need to take the birth of children and their future health very seriously. - Behind last years Are children getting cancer more often? – Yes, we have seen an increase in the incidence of children in the last 10-15 years. Every year in Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region we identify about 150 cases of cancer in children. But cancer today – and, probably, my oncologist colleagues have already told you about this – is not a death sentence at all. If a child’s tumor is detected in the first or second stage, when there are no metastases or growth into surrounding tissues, then there is a chance of full recovery very high. We cure 90% of children with such stages, and they continue to live full life. If cancer is discovered late, then, of course, it will be more difficult to help the child. But even here the percentage of recovered people is quite high - 70%. How younger child, the better his cancer is treated, says Sergei Tuponogov. – There is some difference in which children tolerate cancer more easily and their specific treatment? – The younger the child, the better his cancer is treated - he tolerates the treatment itself more easily and the long-term results are better. The older you get, the more it occurs. various problems. Added to this is the plus psychological factor, because our older patients already understand what is happening to them. – Does cancer have “favorite” childhood localizations? – Brain tumors rank first among childhood cancers. Next in frequency are tumors of the blood system - leukemia, lymphoma, lymphogranulomatosis, tumors of the kidneys and adrenal glands, liver, and bones. There are purely childhood tumors - nephroblastomas, which do not occur in adults. And in children they quickly penetrate into the retroperitoneal space. But children almost never have lung tumors or, if they do, they are benign. Cancers in children are treated differently than in adults. For children, this is a very short episode in life. After the operation, a more important and lengthy part of the treatment begins - chemotherapy. It is carried out in courses that sometimes take years. But the effect it gives in children is completely different than in adults: even metastases from the lungs go away during chemotherapy. – Sergey Nikolaevich, if we talk about early diagnosis of cancer in children, what should parents pay attention to? After all, a child himself may not say that something hurts? – From the first months of a child’s life until he reaches adulthood, the development of a malignant neoplasm can be indicated increased weakness, depression, apathy, changes in appetite, changes in the child’s behavior, including increased aggressiveness, and causeless mood swings. You also need to pay attention to any pain: in the head, chest, abdomen, bones, the appearance of any enlarged lymph nodes, or, as they also say, lumps, the appearance of any rashes on the body. Another reason to be alarmed is increased bleeding or a tendency to rapid emergence bruises. In all these cases, the child should be shown to a doctor. Unfortunately, it happens that parents, sending their children to several sections at once, regard their complaints as laziness and reluctance to learn. But in fact, at this time they lose invaluable time when the child should not be taught, but treated. Chemotherapy in the treatment of childhood cancer can take years, but the effect is much better than in adults. For some reason, precisely in major cities parents, considering themselves educated and enlightened people, do not fulfill the most simple recommendations pediatricians. For example, it is widely accepted that after birth a child needs to have an ultrasound of his organs. abdominal cavity at 1 month, at 6 months, and then at 1 year. But parents don’t have time or they think that their child doesn’t need it because he’s healthy. And such a kid won’t complain about anything. In my opinion, ultrasounds should be done exactly at these times, which, by the way, are prescribed by the clinic. This way we can detect any tumor very early and remove it in time. After a year, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity must be repeated at least 2 times a year until the age of five - and this is even if the child has no complaints at all! After five years, it is enough to do an ultrasound once a year. And at approximately the same frequency, unless otherwise prescribed by the doctor, monitor general analysis blood and general urine analysis. – Sergei Nikolaevich, speaking of diagnostics, when reading the stories of children with cancer, you inevitably pay attention to such facts. For example, a child fell off a bicycle, hit his foot, and then a tumor was found right in that place. Is this a coincidence or can it be explained somehow? – In medicine there is such a term - “pointing finger symptom.” In such cases, you can remember this symptom or, as it can be called even more clearly, the “finger of fate.” But, in my opinion, everything is much simpler and more tragic. When a child falls off a bike and then complains about severe pain in a leg or arm, then this pain is caused, alas, not by a fall, but by a growing tumor. Adults just don't pay attention to it. And they remember about the child’s complaints only when they have already given him terrible diagnosis. We've all fallen off our bikes as children, and if those injuries caused cancer, where would we be now? – One more question, also born from reading numerous publications on the Internet on pediatric oncology. Why are children taken abroad for treatment? How is this treatment different from the one we provide? – Treatment in foreign clinics is not fundamentally different from that provided by Russian doctors. Yes, we don't have enough individual ones yet surgical techniques. Perhaps not all chemotherapy drugs are available somewhere or there are no drugs that are not registered in Russia. But still, in most cases, parents take children abroad for treatment for whom we have exhausted all our possibilities, and treatment abroad is also without guarantees, this is already a gesture of despair. You understand, pediatric oncology is a special branch of medicine. No parent will ever come to terms with the fact that their child can no longer be helped, and I cannot blame anyone for this. Treatment in foreign clinics is not fundamentally different from that provided by Russian doctors. With this interview we close the “Oncological educational program” section. Let us remind you that earlier we talked about one of the most common oncological diseases - skin cancer - with a professor at the Department of Oncology and Medical Radiology of the Ural State medical university Sergei Berzin, about oncological diseases of the blood - leukemia - with the chief hematologist of the Sverdlovsk region Tatyana Konstantinova, and the chief specialist of the Yekaterinburg Health Department for radiation diagnostics Andrey Tsoriev told us about lung cancer. We devoted several publications to oncology gastrointestinal tract. We talked with the doctor about its most terrible localization - pancreatic cancer medical sciences Mikhail Prudkov, about stomach cancer - with the chief surgeon of the city Alexei Stolin. The head of the coloproctology department of the Special Clinical Hospital No. 1, Andrei Oshchepkov, told us about intestinal cancer, and the head of the thoraco-abdominal department of the Sverdlovsk Regional Oncology Center, Yuri Istomin, told us about the oncology of the most vulnerable organ - the esophagus. In addition, we wrote about typical “male” and “female” diseases: the chief urologist of the Sverdlovsk region, Igor Bazhenov, told us about " men's diseases", including cancer and adenoma prostate gland, and the head of the department of oncomammology of City Clinical Hospital No. 40 Sergei Demidov and the head of the department of obstetrics and gynecology of the Ural State Medical University Tatyana Oboskalova - about the most common and most terrible “female” oncological disease - breast cancer and other dangerous women's diseases. Finally, chief oncologist Ekaterinburg Denis Demidov told our readers about how to be examined correctly without wasting time and money in order to identify signs of oncology, and why complex procedures such as MRI or colonoscopy do not always help with this, and the chief surgeon of Ekaterinburg Alexey Stolin spoke about why it is not now you need to be afraid of oncological operations.

Annually there are fifteen episodes for every hundred thousand children's lives. In terms of fifteen years of childhood, this means that out of one hundred thousand peers, almost two hundred children get cancer every year.

There are also more optimistic statistics, according to which the majority of childhood cancers are treatable. successful treatment. This applies to tumors detected on the most initial stage their development. In the case of advanced diseases, the likelihood of a favorable outcome decreases significantly.

Unfortunately, the number of children with cancer who were admitted to the clinic at the very beginning of the diagnosis of the disease is no more than 10% of total number cases. So that parents can not miss the first alarms and showed the child to the doctor in a timely manner; they should know the symptoms of the main childhood cancers.

Classification of cancer in children

Malignant tumors in children are:

1. Embryonic.
2. Juvenile.
3. Tumors of the adult type.

Embryonic

Tumors of this group are a consequence pathological process in germ cells.

The result is an uncontrolled growth of mutated cells, the histology of which, however, indicates their similarity to the tissues and cells of the fetus (or embryo).

This group consists of:

• Blastoma tumors: , .
• A number of fairly rare germ cell tumors.

Juvenile

This group of cancers occurs in children and adolescents as a result of the formation of cancer cells from completely healthy or partially altered cells.

Malignancy may suddenly affect the polyp, benign neoplasm or stomach ulcers.

Juvenile tumors include:

• carcinoma;

Adult tumors

This type of illness is childhood rarely observed. These include:

• carcinomas (nasopharyngeal and hepatocellular);

Why do children get sick?

Until now, medicine has not established the exact causes of cancer in children. We can only assume that the prerequisites for the development of cancerous tumors are the following:

• Genetically determined predisposition. Some types of cancer (for example, retinoblastoma) can be traced in several generations of the same family, although this does not exclude the possibility of the birth of healthy offspring. Cancer is not inherited.
• Influence of carcinogenic factors. This concept combines pollution environment(soil, air and water) with a large amount of industrial waste, the effects of radiation, the effects of viruses, as well as an abundance of artificial materials in the environment of modern apartments.
• Carcinogenic factors, influencing the reproductive cells of the parent couple, damaging them and thereby contributing to abnormal intrauterine development of the fetus, the occurrence large quantity congenital deformities and embryonal cancers.

Symptoms and signs of oncology by type

Early recognition of alarming symptoms not only guarantees a complete recovery of the child, but also allows for treatment using the most gentle and inexpensive methods.

In this section of our article we provide a list of symptoms that characterize different types childhood oncological diseases.

If similar symptoms are detected, the parents of a sick child should show him to a qualified specialist as soon as possible.

Leukemia

Synonyms for this malignant disease hematopoietic system are the terms "" and "". It accounts for more than a third of all childhood cancers.

At the first stage of development of leukemia, healthy cells are first displaced and then replaced bone marrow cancerous.

Symptoms of leukemia are the following:

• fast fatiguability;
• lethargy and muscle weakness;
• anemic skin;
• lack of appetite and a sharp decline body weight;
• increased body temperature;
• frequent bleeding;
• painful sensations in diarthrosis and bones;
• significant enlargement of the liver and spleen, resulting in an enlarged abdomen;
• frequent vomiting;
• presence of shortness of breath;
• noticeable enlargement of the lymph nodes located in armpits, on the neck and groin area;
• visual disturbances and unbalanced walking;
• tendency to form hematomas and redness of the skin.

Brain and spinal cord cancer

Cancerous brain tumors appear in children 5-10 years old and manifest themselves in the following symptoms:

• unbearable morning headaches, aggravated by coughing and turning the head;
• attacks of vomiting on an empty stomach;
• impaired coordination of movements;
• gait imbalance;
• vision disorders;
• the appearance of hallucinations;
• complete indifference and apathy.

Brain cancer is characterized by seizures, obsessions, and mental disorders. A sick child's head may increase in size. If you do not show it to the doctor in time, after six months of continuous headaches, signs of delay will begin to appear. mental development with an inevitable decline in intelligence and physical abilities.

Symptoms of spinal cord cancer:

• back pain that worsens when lying down and subsides while sitting;
• difficulty bending the body;
• gait disturbance;
• pronounced scoliosis;
• loss of sensitivity in the affected area;
• urinary and fecal incontinence due to poor functioning of the sphincters.

Wilms tumor

This is the name for nephroblastoma or kidney cancer (most often one, sometimes both). This disease usually affects children under three years of age.

Because of complete absence complaints, the disease is discovered completely by accident, usually during a routine examination.

• At the initial stage there is no pain.
• In the advanced stage, the tumor is extremely painful. By squeezing neighboring organs, it leads to asymmetry of the abdomen.
• The baby refuses to eat and loses weight.
• The temperature rises slightly.
• Diarrhea develops.

Neuroblastoma

This type of cancer affects only children's sympathetic nervous system. In the vast majority of cases, it is observed in children under five years of age. The location of the tumor is the abdomen, rib cage, neck, pelvis, bones are often affected.

Characteristic features:

• limping, complaints of bone pain;
• increased sweating;
• prostration;
• pale skin;
• elevated temperature;
• disruption of bowel and bladder function;
• swelling of the face, throat, swelling around the eyes.

Retinoblastoma

This is the name malignant tumor retina, typical for infants and preschoolers. A third of all cases involve the retina of both eyes. In 5% of children, the disease ends in complete blindness.

• The affected eye turns red, the baby complains of severe pain in it.
• Some children develop strabismus, while others develop a symptom of luminous " cat eye", caused by protrusion of the tumor beyond the border of the lens. It can be seen through the pupil.

Rhabdomyosarcoma

This is the name of a cancerous tumor of connective or muscle tissue that affects infants, preschoolers and schoolchildren. Most often, the location of rhabdomyosarcoma is the neck and head, somewhat less often - the urinary organs, the area of ​​​​the upper and lower limbs, least often - the torso.

Signs:

• painful swelling at the site of the lesion;
• “rolling out” of the eyeball;
• sharp decrease in vision;
• hoarse voice and difficulty swallowing (if localized in the neck);
• prolonged abdominal pain, constipation and vomiting (if the abdominal cavity is affected);
• yellowness of the skin (with bile duct cancer).

Osteosarcoma

This is a cancer that affects the long bones (humerus and femur) of adolescents. The leading symptom of osteosarcoma is pain in the affected bones, which tends to intensify at night. At the beginning of the disease, the pain is short-term. A few weeks later, visible swelling appears.

Ewing's sarcoma

This disease, typical for teenagers 10-15 years old, is a scourge for tubular bones upper and lower extremities. Celebrated rare cases damage to the ribs, shoulder blades and collarbones. To the symptoms characteristic of, is added sudden loss weight and fever. Late stages are characterized by unbearable pain and paralysis.

This is cancer of the lymphatic tissues or is typical for adolescents.

The photographs show children with cancer of the lymphatic tissues

Symptoms:

• painless and slightly enlarged lymph nodes either disappear or reappear;
• sometimes appears itchy skin, profuse sweating, weakness, fever.

Diagnostics

Satisfactory well-being of children, characteristic even for late stages of cancerous tumors - this is main reason their late recognition.

Therefore, regular preventive examinations play a huge role in the timely detection and initiation of treatment of the disease.

• At the slightest suspicion of a cancerous tumor, the doctor prescribes a series of laboratory tests(blood, urine) and studies (MRI, ultrasound, ).
• The final diagnosis is made based on the results of a biopsy (a sample of tumor tissue). Histology allows us to determine the stage of cancer. Tactics depend on the stage further treatment. For cancer of the hematopoietic organs, a bone marrow puncture is taken.

Treatment

• Treatment of childhood cancers is carried out in specialized departments of children's clinics and in research centers.
• Impact on cancerous tumors hematopoietic organs are produced by methods and. All other types of tumors are treated surgically.