Causes, risk factors, features, diagnosis and prevention of cancer in children. Childhood cancer - all about the terrible disease of little people

A third of all sick children suffer from leukemia, a blood cancer.

What causes cancer?

Almost 90% of the causes of the development of a malignant tumor in an adult are associated with external factors, For example, harmful conditions labor, smoking, alcohol abuse or poor environment. The causes of cancer in children are slightly different. In most cases, the development of cancer in a child is influenced by a genetic, hereditary factor together with a weakened immune system. But, these are just assumptions of experts in the field of cancer research, since the exact reasons for the formation of a malignant cell in the body of an adult or child remain still unexplored.

It is known that there are about 20 hereditary pathologies that can increase the risk of developing cancer, some of them:

neurofibromatosis;
Ataxia-telangiectasia;
Down syndrome;
Fanconi disease, etc.

Besides genetic factor, there are a number of studies suggesting the involvement of certain types of virus in the development of tumor cells, for example:

There are also opinions about the high carcinogenicity of certain drugs, for example, cytostatic agents that are used in the treatment of a tumor can provoke the growth of a secondary formation. At the same time, the exact reason that provoked the appearance of atypical cells in a particular child, especially preventing their appearance remains very problematic.

Classification of tumors

Types of pediatric oncology are divided into three main groups:

embryonic neoplasms;
juvenile tumors;
adult type education.

How to classify a cancer cell?

Embryonic tumors develop from embryonic cells and are similar in histological structure to embryonic tissues. These include:

Juvenile tumors arise in adolescence and childhood as a result of degeneration into cancer cells mature tissues. Juvenile formations include:

lymphogranulomatosis;
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas;
astrocytoma;
synovial cell carcinoma;
osteogenic sarcoma.

Neoplasms of the adult type are extremely rare in children, these include:

schwannoma;
hepatocellular carcinoma;
clear cell skin cancer.

Most often, in 70% of cases, hemoblastosis occurs - this is blood cancer, lymphogranulomatosis. The second most common tumors after leukemia are tumors of the central nervous system and bone tissue, usually brain cancer. The rarest are tumors of the adult type, for example, formations on the skin or genitals of a child, etc.

Accordingly, treatment is prescribed only after establishing accurate diagnosis, determination of the histological type and type of tumor.

Clinical picture

Signs of oncology in a child depend on where exactly the tumor has formed, but in addition to this, there are also general symptoms, characteristic of all types of cancer, these include:

weakness;
dizziness;
vomit;
refusal to eat;
exhaustion and weight loss;
signs of anemia;
pallor skin;
increase in body temperature for no apparent reason.

Similar symptoms of oncology in children do not appear immediately, but with the course and progression of the disease, usually in the third and fourth stages.

Leukemia

Oncology in children most often manifests itself in the form of leukemia; the main signs of this disease are:

bleeding, frequent nosebleeds, minor cuts, etc.;
poor blood clotting;
pain in joints and bone tissue;
an increase in the size of the abdomen as a result of enlargement of internal organs;
increase lymph nodes in the groin, axillary area, and neck;
violations motor functions, coordination during movement;
blurred vision;
frequent vomiting and nausea;
bruises and hemorrhages on the skin;
muscle weakness;
loss of appetite.

The clinical picture develops gradually and may manifest itself with various of the described symptoms.

Treatment of leukemia relies mainly on chemotherapy. Both in acute and chronic form leukemia is prescribed a course of polychemotherapy, which consists of using a complex antitumor drugs. Doses of medications are calculated individually and also depend on the stage of progression of the pathology. During the period of remission, the volume of drugs is reduced, and the maximum intensity (induction stage of chemotherapy) is used at the advanced stage.

Radiation therapy is also applicable for leukemia, in most cases it is combined with chemotherapy. Leukemia provides external types irradiation. It can be total, when the entire patient’s body is exposed to radiation, and directed, when the rays are directed directly at the tumor formation. Latest form most applicable for acute leukemia.

Brain and bone marrow cancer

The second most common form of cancer in children. The cerebellum or brain stem is most often affected. The main symptoms of oncology in children of this type malignant neoplasm consider:

severe headaches, migraines, especially in morning time. The pain intensifies when the child bends his head, coughs or cries;
coordination problems;
sudden loss of vision;
gagging, especially in the morning;
apathy and detachment from the outside world;
the occurrence of mental disorders, especially auditory and visual hallucinations;
increase in head size due to tumor growth;
the occurrence of limb spasms, epileptic seizures;
defeat bone marrow causes back pain, especially severe when lying down.

Treatment of a brain tumor has three options:

surgery, tumor removal;
chemotherapy;
radiation exposure.

Surgical treatment is effective if the tumor is primary, but with a secondary tumor (brain metastases), surgery is considered ineffective.

The operation can be of three types:

ultrasonic aspiration;
scalpel surgery;
laser microsurgery.

Which method is necessary is determined by the surgeon based on a number of factors.

Chemotherapy is prescribed in combination, often with radiation. The main task of antitumor drugs is to reduce the size of the tumor and stop the process of its growth and metastasis. Chemotherapy alone cannot completely cure the disease. Regarding medications, the following medications are most often prescribed for brain damage:

Administration of medications can be intra-arterial, into vessels leading to the brain, direct injection into a tumor or into the cerebrospinal fluid.

Radiation is widely used for brain cancer. External beam radiation therapy is used to treat this pathology. In this case, the area where the tumor is located is exposed to rays of static or rotational irradiation.

Wilms tumor

Another name is nephroblastoma, it affects the kidney, mainly one. As a rule, children under three years of age are affected. Basically, the pathology occurs without symptoms until the tumor grows to a large size and begins to put pressure on neighboring organs, interfering with their work. Often, such a tumor can be diagnosed only during a routine examination. Regarding the symptoms, they appear late; visually, one side of the torso and peritoneum takes on an abnormal shape, increasing in size, and asymmetry is observed. Functions are often impaired Bladder and intestines are also observed general signs oncology.

The main treatment method is surgery and removal of the tumor together with the affected kidney. Chemotherapy and radiation can be used as additional methods. Typically, both methods are used after surgery to ensure that individual cancer cells do not remain in the body.

Neuroblastoma

This neoplasm occurs only in children, in almost 90% of cases in children under the age of five. The location is predominantly in the abdominal cavity, in the pelvic organs, cervical spine, are often affected bone tissue. Symptoms depend on the location of the tumor and may include:

lameness and high bone compliance to fractures;
disturbances in urination and defecation;
swelling of the face, neck;
increased sweating and high temperature.

The only way to completely get rid of a tumor is radical surgery with excision of the tumor and affected adjacent tissues, lymph nodes and other anatomical structures.

Retinoblastoma (eye cancer in children)

Occurs in children under six years of age and forms in the tissues of the retina. Symptoms of retinoblastoma are:

eye soreness;
the appearance of strabismus;
redness in the eye, increased tear production;
the appearance of a specific glow in the pupil area (the result of tumor growth and its visualization through the pupil);
loss of vision.

Treatment for retinoblastoma depends on the stage of disease progression and the extent of the damage. The basis, as with many other forms of cancer, is surgery. If one eye is affected, it is removed along with the tumor. If pathological process arose in two eyeballs, remove the worst one. After surgery, radiation therapy is prescribed for 2-3 days. Chemotherapy is used according to the indications of the attending physician.

Hodgkin's lymphoma - oncology of the child's lymph nodes

Most often occurs in adolescents of older age, the tumor affects lymphatic system. In the early stages, the disease has no symptoms. Later, one or more lymph nodes may be enlarged and painless to the touch. Sweating, weakness, itching of the skin may occur, and the temperature may persist.

Treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma involves the use of radiation and a course of chemotherapy, usually both methods are combined. Polyochemotherapy is still considered more effective; monotherapy is used only for palliative purposes in the later stages of the disease. Complete remission with timely, adequate treatment occurs in more than 70% of patients.

Cancer detection

How to diagnose cancer in children? One of the global issues that worries both the child’s parents and the doctors themselves. The further success of treatment and prognosis depend on the timeliness of diagnosis. The main goals set for diagnostic studies are:

establish the exact location of the tumor;
the degree of prevalence of the process and, as a consequence, the prevalence process;
determination of the type of tumor, its histological and morphological composition.

The diagnostic process is quite complex and includes a whole range of instrumental and laboratory studies.

Initially, an anamnesis of the disease is collected, with external signs pathologies, after which they are prescribed lab tests blood. Afterwards, the need for instrumental techniques appears; which of them will be used depends on the localization of the formation, which by that time has already been theoretically established, but requires confirmation. Instrumental types of diagnostics can be prescribed:

radioisotope studies;
radiographic methods;
MRI, CT and ultrasound;
biopsy with subsequent transfer of the resulting material for histological examination.

General principles of treatment of cancer in children

Treatment of oncology in children begins after an accurate diagnosis has been established. Typically, cancer is treated with three main methods:

surgery;
chemotherapy;
radiation exposure.

Different types of tumors are more susceptible to one type of treatment or another. In most cases, the techniques are combined. For example, they use surgical method in combination with chemotherapy before or after surgery. For leukemia, surgery is ineffective - the main treatment method is chemotherapy, possibly in combination with radiation.

Surgery is an integral type of therapy

The effectiveness of a combination of several technologies in most cases brings best result For example, chemotherapy after surgery allows you to avoid the remainder of atypical cells, which will eventually grow into a new tumor or metastasize to other organs.

Oncology and children with oncology are a serious problem for humanity today. Unfortunately, it is impossible to insure yourself and your loved ones against such a terrible disease. The main task of parents is to monitor the health of their children, undergo preventive examinations in a timely manner and not leave unnoticed any changes occurring in the children’s bodies. If even minor changes appear, seek advice from a specialist and do not waste time on self-medication, your baby’s life may depend on it!

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Childhood cancer - all about the terrible disease of little people

Cancer is a malignant formation originating from epithelial cells. Unfortunately, oncology in children is becoming common: out of 100 children, 20 get sick every year. Doctors say that in most cases, cancer in children can be cured, since the body and the immune system children are able to cope with many diseases.

Due to frequent examinations Oncology can be diagnosed in the initial stages. But based on the statistics of those who applied in the early stages, it is approximately 10%, so the recovery rate is significantly reduced.

Causes

Many people ask: “Why do children get cancer?” Many argue that adults themselves are to blame for this. Those mothers who smoked and drank alcohol during pregnancy. Passive smoking next to a child it simply kills him. It is also worth mentioning the frantic technological progress, which has generally increased the number of diseases in both adults and children.

The causes of cancer in children are still not fully understood. Factors that can influence the formation of carcinoma in the body:

Disturbance in intrauterine development. The appearance of anomalies and deformities in children, the possible development of cancer cells in the embryonic period;
Genetic predisposition. Types of cancer are diverse and some of them can be observed in several generations.
Ecology. Everyone knows that the environmental situation in Russia is not favorable, the high pollution of our soil, water, and air has a huge impact on health, and various viruses can also affect childhood cancer.

Types and symptoms

Early diagnosis of cancer can give a child a full life. When the first signs of cancer appear, you should immediately consult a doctor rather than try to treat it yourself. Before answering the question - what are the symptoms of cancer in children, you need to consider each childhood cancer.

Leukemia

Another name for leukemia, leukemia or blood cancer. Ranks third among young children. Initially, cancer cells displace healthy ones, and then they are completely replaced. Hematopoietic function is impaired. The number of immature white blood cells becomes too high. Can be diagnosed using a routine clinical blood test. Consider the symptoms of cancer in children:

Paleness of the skin and mucous membranes.
Apathetic state.
Weight loss, lack of interest in food.
Aversion to food, accompanied by vomiting.
Shortness of breath due to pulmonary edema.
Redness of the skin, unexplained bruising and bruising.
Loss of coordination;
Large belly due to enlarged internal organs (spleen, liver).
The lymph nodes are so enlarged that they can be palpated.
Pain in bones (legs, arms, neck).
Heat.
Bleeding.
“Blurry vision”: the baby feels as if he is losing his sight.

Brain and spinal cord.

Diagnosed at the age of 5-10 years. Often occurs due to mutation of remaining embryonic cells in the brain and spinal cord. These cells are very sensitive to external factors: radiation, ecology, chemical influences, etc.

Brain tumor symptoms

“Hungry vomiting” occurs when the child has not eaten and is hungry.
Visual dysfunction and movement disorders.
Severe pain in the skull, constantly intensifying when moving the head and coughing.
Cramps.
Mental disorders.
Hallucinations.
Abstraction from the outside world.

Symptoms of cancer spinal cord

Scoliosis;
Sensitivity is lost at the site of tumor formation;
Relaxation of the sphincters, which leads to fecal and urinary incontinence;
Pain throughout the back, subsides when the child takes a sitting position, and intensifies when he lies down;

Wilms tumor

Kidney cancer is diagnosed before age 3. It is discovered completely by accident, as there are almost no symptoms.

Pain syndrome does not appear in the early stages.
In the last stages, wild pain appears, as nearby organs are compressed.
Diarrhea.
Emaciation.
Temperature increase.
Blood in urine.

Neuroblastoma

This oncology is observed in children under 5 years of age. Affects the sympathetic nervous system. Localization: neck, bones and soft tissues, abdomen, pelvis.

Apathetic state, no desire to do anything.
Pale skin and mucous membranes.
Increased sweating.
Bone pain.
Fever.
There may be swelling of the throat, face and severe bags and bruises under the eyes.
Difficulty urinating.
Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Retinoblastoma

The tumor affects the retina of the eye and is found in children after birth and up to 6 years of age. Oncological disease leads to blindness in 5% of cases.

Eye hyperemia;
Painful sensations in the affected eye;
Development of strabismus;
“Cat's eye”, the neoplasm protrudes beyond the border of the lens.

Rhabdomyosarcoma

Carcinoma of muscle or connective tissue is most often observed in children of all ages, as well as infants. Localization: lower and upper limbs, genitourinary organs, head, neck, less often - body.

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Yellowness of the skin, sclera and mucous tissues.
"Eyes roll out."
Inflammatory reaction - swelling in the affected area.
Loss of vision.
Vomit.
Diarrhea.
Pain in the peritoneal area.
Rough, hollow voice.

Osteosarcoma

Affects the femur or humerus during adolescence. The tumor destroys the underlying tissue structure and the bone becomes very fragile in this area.

Usually, pain in the bones intensifies in the evening and is short-term in nature; constant pain is gradually observed.
At first, the pain is not localized.
Bumps appear on the bones.
A bone may break repeatedly in one place.

Ewing's sarcoma

They identify the children's age. Tumors are found in the upper and lower extremities, less commonly in the ribs, shoulder blades and collarbones.

Usually bone pain intensifies in the evening and is short-term.
Sharp weight loss.
Heat.
In the final stages, paralysis of the affected area is characterized by severe pain.

Hodgkin's lymphoma

Carcinoma of lymphogranulomatosis, lymph nodes and all lymphatic system.

Lymph nodes may appear enlarged and then disappear.
Mild pain.
Itching in the affected area.
Weakness.
Profuse sweating.
Low-grade fever.

Diagnostics

Babies can feel good even in the last stages of development of malignant tumors.

Cancer during pregnancy is rare and most often occurs in young women. In such cases, there are special treatment methods and medications that can prevent the development of cancer and preserve the fetus.

Mothers are always sensitive to any changes in the body in relation to the fetus. Pregnant women should always pay attention to symptoms such as: frequent headaches, rectal bleeding, bloating. For diagnosis I use CT, radiography and blood tests for tumor markers.

The following methods are used to detect oncology:

MRI allows you to see even the smallest tumor, its shape, and the extent of damage to nearby tissues.
Ultrasound is performed to give general characteristics internal organs and look for the presence of metastases.
CT (computed tomography) allows you to look at the functioning of organs and find the location of the tumor.
Blood analysis. In the blood, attention is paid to leukocytes, ESR, red blood cells, as well as the presence of cancer cells. For prevention, you need to take a general and biochemical blood test every year.
Analysis of urine. The urine is examined for cancer cells and blood.
Biopsy. A piece of the tumor is taken for further examination. The most accurate type of diagnosis based on the biopsy result prescribes treatment, since this method allows you to determine the stage, aggressiveness, differentiation, etc.
Bone marrow puncture. I use it for carcinoma of the hematopoietic organs.

Treatment

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used to remove tumors in children; in other cases, they are removed surgically. After completing one of the above-mentioned therapies, treatment is still continued to avoid relapse.

In the final stages, when metastases have already penetrated to distant organs and areas of the body, restraining therapy is used. Surgical intervention It’s already pointless and they usually use chemotherapy and radiotherapy to contain the beast. For severe pain, analgesics and narcotic painkillers are prescribed.

Forecast

It all depends on when you went to the hospital, on the stage of the disease and on the general condition of the baby. Childhood carcinoma is easier to cure than adult carcinoma, this is justified by the possibility of rehabilitation of a young body. The risk of getting sick is not high. There were cases when they were healed on last stage tumors.

Prognosis of various oncologies:

Retinoblastoma – cure 100%;
Bone cancer (Ewing's Sarcoma, Osteosarcoma) – 74%;
Soft tissue carcinoma – 76%;
Wilms tumor (kidney cancer) – 90%.

Cancer in children: types of oncology, diagnosis and treatment

The sad statistics of childhood oncology indicate that the risk of developing malignant tumors annually is 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 children oncological diseases amenable to successful treatment. This applies to tumors detected on the most initial stage their development. When 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:

Embryonic

Tumors of this group are a consequence of a 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).

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:

Adult tumors

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

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) big amount industrial waste, the effects of radiation, the effects of viruses, as well as the abundance of artificial materials in the environment of modern apartments.
Carcinogenic factors, affecting the germ cells of the parent couple, damage them and thereby contribute to abnormal intrauterine development of the fetus, the occurrence of large quantity congenital deformities and embryonal cancers.

Symptoms and signs of oncology by type

Early recognition of anxiety symptoms not only guarantees full recovery 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 of childhood cancer.

When found similar symptoms Parents of a sick child should show him or her to a qualified specialist as soon as possible.

Leukemia

Synonyms for this malignant disease of the hematopoietic system are the terms “blood cancer” and “leukemia”. It accounts for more than a third of all childhood cancers.

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

Symptoms of leukemia are following signs:

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 the armpits, 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.

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 bad work 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.

Due to the complete absence of 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, chest, neck, pelvis, and bones are often affected.

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 of a malignant tumor of the retina, characteristic of 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 severe pain in him.
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 extremities, and least often - the torso.

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, characteristic of adolescents, is a scourge for the tubular bones of the upper and lower extremities. There have been rare cases of damage to the ribs, shoulder blades and collarbones. The symptoms characteristic of osteosarcoma include sudden weight loss and fever. Late stages are characterized by unbearable pain and paralysis.

Hodgkin's lymphoma

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

The photographs show children with cancer of the lymphatic tissues

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 for timely detection and began treatment for the disease.

At the slightest suspicion of a cancerous tumor, the doctor prescribes a series of laboratory tests (blood, urine) and studies (MRI, ultrasound, computed tomography).
The final diagnosis is made based on the results of a biopsy ( histological examination tumor tissue sample). 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.
The impact on cancerous tumors of the hematopoietic organs is carried out using methods of conservative radiation and chemical therapy. All other types of tumors are treated surgically.
After discharge from the clinic, a long course follows therapeutic treatment followed by rehabilitation.

Consequence

Children's oncology is treated better than adult oncology.

Probability complete cure, of course, directly depends on the timeliness of the treatment started, but there are cases of healing of patients even with the fourth stage of a cancer tumor.

Unfortunately, the idea that cancer is a disease of the elderly age group people are a thing of the past. The concept of childhood oncology is heard more and more often, of course, children suffer less from this serious pathology, but still about two children out of ten thousand are faced with a malignant neoplasm. A third of all sick children suffer from leukemia, a blood cancer.

In almost 90% of cases, the causes of development in an adult are associated with external factors, for example, harmful working conditions, smoking, alcohol abuse or poor environment. The causes of cancer in children are slightly different. In most cases, the development of cancer in a child is influenced by a genetic, hereditary factor together with a weakened immune system. But, these are just assumptions of experts in the field of cancer research, since the exact reasons for the formation of a malignant cell in the body of an adult or child remain still unexplored.

It is known that there are about 20 hereditary pathologies that can increase the risk of developing cancer, some of them:

neurofibromatosis;
Ataxia-telangiectasia;
Down syndrome;
Fanconi disease, etc.

In addition to the genetic factor, there are a number of studies suggesting the involvement of certain types of virus in the development of tumor cells, for example:

Epstein-Barra;
herpis;
human papillomas;
hepatitis B.

Classification of tumors

Types of pediatric oncology are divided into three main groups:

embryonic neoplasms;
juvenile tumors;
adult type education.

Embryonic tumors develop from embryonic cells and are similar in histological structure to embryonic tissues. These include:

hepatoblastoma;
medulloblastoma;
nephroblastoma;
rhabdomyosarcoma;
neuroblastoma.

Juvenile tumors arise in adolescence and childhood as a result of degeneration into cancer cells of mature tissues. Juvenile formations include:

lymphogranulomatosis;
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas;
astrocytoma;
synovial cell carcinoma;
osteogenic sarcoma.

Neoplasms of the adult type are extremely rare in children, these include:

schwannoma;
hepatocellular carcinoma;
clear cell skin cancer.

The most common hemoblastosis in 70% of cases is lymphogranulomatosis. In second place after leukemia, tumors of the central nervous system and bone tissue are common, usually. The rarest are tumors of the adult type, for example, formations on the skin or genitals of a child, etc.

Accordingly, treatment is prescribed only after an accurate diagnosis has been established and the histological type and type of tumor have been determined.

Clinical picture

Signs of oncology in a child depend on where exactly the tumor has formed, but in addition to this, there are also general symptoms characteristic of all types of cancer, these include:

Oncology in a child

weakness;
dizziness;
vomit;
refusal to eat;
exhaustion and weight loss;
signs of anemia;
pale skin;
increase in body temperature for no apparent reason.

Similar symptoms of oncology in children do not appear immediately, but with the course and progression of the disease, usually in the third and fourth stages.

Leukemia

Oncology in children most often manifests itself in the form of leukemia; the main signs of this disease are:

bleeding, frequent nosebleeds, minor cuts, etc.;
poor blood clotting;
pain in joints and bone tissue;
an increase in the size of the abdomen as a result of enlargement of internal organs;
enlarged lymph nodes in the groin, axillary area, and neck;
violations of motor functions, coordination during movement;
blurred vision;
frequent vomiting and nausea;
bruises and hemorrhages on the skin;
muscle weakness;
loss of appetite.

The clinical picture develops gradually and may manifest itself with various of the described symptoms.

Treatment of leukemia relies mainly on chemotherapy. For both acute and chronic forms of leukemia, a course of polychemotherapy is prescribed, which consists of using a complex of antitumor drugs. Doses of medications are calculated individually and also depend on the stage of progression of the pathology. During the period of remission, the volume of drugs is reduced, and the maximum intensity (induction stage of chemotherapy) is used at the advanced stage.

Radiation therapy is also applicable for leukemia, in most cases it is combined with chemotherapy. Leukemia involves external types of radiation. It can be total, when the entire patient’s body is exposed to radiation, and directed, when the rays are directed directly at the tumor formation. The latter form is most applicable for acute leukemia.

Brain and bone marrow cancer

The second most common form of cancer in children. The cerebellum or brain stem is most often affected. The main symptoms of oncology in children of this type of malignant neoplasm are:

severe headaches, migraines, especially in the morning. The pain intensifies when the child bends his head, coughs or cries;
coordination problems;
sudden loss of vision;
gagging, especially in the morning;
apathy and detachment from the outside world;
the occurrence of mental disorders, especially auditory and visual hallucinations;
increase in head size due to tumor growth;
the occurrence of limb spasms, epileptic seizures;
bone marrow damage causes back pain, especially severe when lying down.

Treatment of a brain tumor has three options:

surgery, removal of a tumor;
chemotherapy;
radiation exposure.

Surgery effective if the tumor is primary; in case of a secondary tumor (brain metastases), surgery is considered ineffective.

The operation can be of three types:

ultrasonic aspiration;
scalpel surgery;
laser microsurgery.

Which method is necessary is determined by the surgeon based on a number of factors.

Chemotherapy is prescribed in combination, often with radiation. The main task of antitumor drugs is to reduce the size of the tumor and stop the process of its growth and metastasis. Chemotherapy alone cannot completely cure the disease. Regarding medications, the following medications are most often prescribed for brain damage:

Lomustine;
Temodal;
Natulan;

Administration of medications can be intra-arterial, into vessels leading to the brain, direct injection into a tumor or into the cerebrospinal fluid.

Wilms tumor

Another name is nephroblastoma, it affects the kidney, mainly one. As a rule, children under three years of age are affected. Basically, the pathology occurs without symptoms until the tumor grows to a large size and begins to put pressure on neighboring organs, interfering with their work. Often, such a tumor can be diagnosed only during a routine examination. Regarding the symptoms, they appear late; visually, one side of the torso and peritoneum takes on an abnormal shape, increasing in size, and asymmetry is observed. The functions of the bladder and intestines are often impaired, and general signs of oncology are also observed.

Neuroblastoma

This neoplasm occurs only in children, in almost 90% of cases in children under the age of five. The location is predominantly in the abdominal cavity, in the pelvic organs, and cervical region; bone tissue is often affected. Symptoms depend on the location of the tumor and may include:

lameness and high bone compliance to fractures;
disturbances in urination and defecation;
swelling of the face, neck;
increased sweating and high temperature.

Only a radical operation with excision of the tumor and affected neighboring tissues, lymph nodes and other anatomical structures can completely get rid of the tumor.

Retinoblastoma (eye cancer in children)

Occurs in children under six years of age and forms in the tissues of the retina. Symptoms of retinoblastoma are:

eye soreness;
the appearance of strabismus;
redness in the eye, increased tear production;
the appearance of a specific glow in the pupil area (the result of tumor growth and its visualization through the pupil);
loss of vision.

Treatment for retinoblastoma depends on the stage of disease progression and the extent of the damage. The basis, as with many other forms of cancer, is surgery. If one eye is affected, it is removed along with the tumor. If the pathological process occurs in two eyeballs, the worst one is removed. After surgery, radiation therapy is prescribed for 2-3 days. Chemotherapy is used according to the indications of the attending physician.

Hodgkin's lymphoma - oncology of the child's lymph nodes

Most often occurs in adolescents aged 13-14 years, the tumor affects the lymphatic system. In the early stages, the disease has no symptoms. Later, one or more lymph nodes may be enlarged and painless to the touch. Sweating, weakness, itching of the skin may occur, and the temperature may persist.

Cancer detection

establish the exact location of the tumor;
the degree of prevalence of the process and, as a consequence, the prevalence process;
determination of the type of tumor, its histological and morphological composition.

The diagnostic process is quite complex and includes a whole range of instrumental and laboratory studies.
Initially, an anamnesis of the disease is collected, with external signs of pathology, after which laboratory blood tests are prescribed. Afterwards, the need for instrumental techniques appears; which of them will be used depends on the localization of the formation, which by that time has already been theoretically established, but requires confirmation. Instrumental types of diagnostics can be prescribed:

radioisotope studies;
radiographic methods;
MRI, CT and ultrasound;
biopsy with subsequent transfer of the resulting material for histological examination.

General principles of treatment of cancer in children

Treatment of oncology in children begins after an accurate diagnosis has been established. Typically, cancer is treated with three main methods:

surgery;
chemotherapy;
radiation exposure.

Different types of tumors are more susceptible to one type of treatment or another. In most cases, the techniques are combined. For example, a surgical method is used in combination with chemotherapy before or after surgery. For leukemia, surgery is ineffective - the main treatment method is chemotherapy, possibly in combination with radiation.

The effectiveness of a combination of several technologies in most cases brings the best result; for example, chemotherapy after surgery allows you to avoid the remains of atypical cells, which as a result will grow into a new tumor or metastasize to other organs.
Oncology and children with oncology are a serious problem for humanity today. Unfortunately, it is impossible to insure yourself and your loved ones against such a terrible disease. The main task of parents is to monitor the health of their children, undergo preventive examinations in a timely manner and not leave unnoticed any changes occurring in the children’s bodies. If even minor changes appear, seek advice from a specialist and do not waste time on self-medication, your baby’s life may depend on it!

Video: what causes cancer in children?

Any childhood illness is a test for the child and his parents. In cases where cancer cells are detected in a young body, the recovery process becomes a real struggle for life. Today, one hundred percent recovery is possible with timely treatment. The percentage of a favorable outcome increases when treatment begins with stage I of the disease and decreases for children with stages II-IV.

Unfortunately, the number of small patients entering the clinic with the initial stage is only 10%. It is very important for parents to know the symptoms of cancer, so that at the slightest suspicion they can start sounding the alarm, since early stage full recovery is possible, as well as the use of the cheapest and most gentle treatment methods.

The most common childhood cancers are:

Leukemia (leukemia, blood cancer).
Tumors of the brain and spinal cord.
Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma).
Neuroblastoma.
Retinoblastoma.
Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Osteosarcoma.
Ewing's sarcoma.
Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease, lymphogranulomatosis).

Leukemia, also called leukemia or blood cancer, is malignant disease hematopoietic system. Blood cancer affects 33% of cancer patients.

First, leukemia (tumor) cells displace healthy bone marrow cells, and then replace hematopoietic cells.

Symptoms of blood cancer:

severe fatigue and muscle weakness;
pale skin;
loss of appetite and body weight;
increased body temperature;
increased bleeding;
pain in bones, joints;
enlarged abdomen due to an enlarged spleen and liver;
swollen lymph nodes in the neck, groin and armpits;
dyspnea;
vomit;
impaired vision and balance when walking;
bleeding or redness on the skin.

It is worth noting that signs of blood cancer do not appear all at once, but gradually. Leukemia can begin with various disorders that appear in different orders. In some children this may be pallor of the skin and general malaise, in others it may be disturbances in gait and vision.

The doctor makes a diagnosis based on a general and biochemical blood test.

Tumors of the brain and spinal cord

Brain tumors occur more often in children aged 5 to 10 years. The degree of their danger depends on the location and volume occupied. In adults, cancer occurs in the cerebral hemispheres, and in children it affects the cerebellar tissue and brain stem.

Symptoms indicating the presence of brain tumors:

unbearable headache, which appears mainly in the morning and increases with coughing or tilting the head. In children who do not yet speak, pain manifests itself as anxiety and crying. The baby holds his head and rubs his face;
vomiting on an empty stomach;
impaired coordination of movements, gait, vision;
changes in behavior. The child may refuse to play, withdraw into himself and sit as if stunned without moving;
apathy;
hallucinations.

Also, patients with brain cancer experience an increase in head size, seizures and various mental disorders, such as personality changes, obsessions.

From clinical manifestations brain tumors can be distinguished by an increase intracranial pressure, which is accompanied by morning headaches, vomiting without nausea, and visual disturbances. In children school age academic performance decreases, fatigue appears, and complaints of headaches when getting out of bed, which are relieved after vomiting and during the day. Before a diagnosis of a brain tumor is made, a child may experience headaches for 4-6 months, after which signs of developmental delay, anorexia, and irritability appear, followed by a decrease in intellectual and physical capabilities.

The diagnosis of brain cancer is established after neurological examinations, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Tumors of the spinal cord are called neoplasms from its substance.

For this disease, the nature of the complaint is back pain, which intensifies in supine position bodies and decrease when sedentary. Patients develop resistance when bending the body, changes in gait, back deformation (scoliosis), decreased sensitivity at the site of cancer cell damage, positive symptom Babinski (extension reflex thumb feet with skin irritation), dysfunction of the sphincters of the bladder or anus.

Wilms tumor

Wilms tumor or nephroblastoma is a type of malignant kidney tumor. This form of cancer most often affects children under 3 years of age. The disease affects one kidney, less often both. There are usually no complaints. Wilms tumor is discovered incidentally preventive examinations. There is no pain during palpation in the early stages. In later stages, there is asymmetry of the abdomen due to a painful tumor that compresses neighboring organs. The child loses weight, loses appetite, develops low fever and diarrhea.

Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. This type of cancer occurs only in children. In 90% of cases before 5 years of age. Cancer is localized in the abdomen, chest, neck and pelvis, and can often affect the bones.

Depending on the location, there are the following signs indicating the presence of neuroblastoma:

bone pain, lameness;
weakness, fever, pallor, excessive sweating;
bowel and bladder dysfunction;
swelling around the eyes, swelling of the face or throat.

The diagnosis is made based on the results of a clinical analysis of blood, urine, puncture and ultrasound data.

Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retinal cells of the eye. This form of cancer mainly affects infants and preschool age, but extremely rarely. In 30% of cases, both eyes are affected by tumor cells.

In a child, the diseased eye becomes red and painful, strabismus or a “cat’s eye” symptom appears, when an inexplicable glow is noticeable in the eye, arising from the protrusion of a tumor behind the lens of the eye, which becomes visible through the pupil. In 5% of cancer patients, the disease leads to vision loss.

To detect retinoblastoma, an eye examination is performed under anesthesia. Additionally prescribed X-ray examination, ultrasound, computed tomography, as well as blood and cerebrospinal fluid tests.

Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a tumor of muscle or connective tissue. Diagnosed in children of infant, preschool and school age. More often, rhabdomyosarcoma affects the head and neck areas, less often – the urinary organs, upper and lower limbs, even less often - the torso.

Symptoms of rhabdomyosarcoma:

the appearance of local painful swelling;
blurred vision and protrusion of the eyeball;
hoarseness and difficulty swallowing (if the tumor is localized in the neck);
vomiting, abdominal pain and constipation (with abdominal cancer);
Jaundice may indicate the presence of cancer in the bile ducts.

Today, 60% of patients are cured.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common cancer of the long bones, shoulders, or hips in adolescents.

The most important symptom of this type of cancer is pain in the affected bone, which increases at night. In the initial stage, the pain may be short-lived. Noticeable swelling appears after a few weeks.

An accurate diagnosis is made based on x-rays and computed tomography.

Ewing's sarcoma

This tumor, like osteosarcoma, affects the tubular bones of the child’s arms and legs. In some cases, cancer cells affect the bone of the shoulder blade, rib, or collarbone. Ewing's sarcoma is common in individuals adolescence(10-15 years).

Symptoms indicating the presence of a tumor are the same as for osteosarcoma, to which is added an increase in body temperature and weight loss. In later stages, severe pain and paralysis occur.

Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's disease or lymphogranulomatosis is a form of cancer of the lymphatic tissue. It occurs more often in teenagers and older people.

This cancer has symptoms that are mild or absent altogether. With lymphogranulomatosis, one or more enlarged, painless lymph nodes may appear, which may disappear and appear. Some patients experience itchy skin, profuse sweating, temperature rises, fatigue increases.

Oncology is the second leading cause of death in children and adolescents after accidents. According to statistics, every year in the world more than 200 thousand children under 18 years of age are diagnosed with terrible diagnosis. The number of young patients seen by oncologists is inexorably increasing. Scientists cannot give a specific answer why children get cancer, but note that the manifestation of the disease in early age has features.

A malignant tumor is the result of a disruption in the production of special proteins individual cells or their change at the genetic level. In a growing body, pathogenic cells develop faster, and it is not easy to stop their division. In rare cases, spontaneous regression of a malignant tumor into a benign one was observed at an early age. According to doctors, one factor or several at once can lead to the appearance of the disease. Let's take a look at the most common theories.

Are the parents to blame?

First on the list of answers is genetic predisposition. The likelihood of cancer transmission from a sick mother to the fetus is also considered. This explains the appearance of cancer in infants. Children come into the world with a set of genes from their father and mother. Abnormalities in the parents' genomes affect the baby's condition.

In some cases, deviations do not affect health. In others, they trigger the mechanism of cell degeneration in the first years of life. To reduce the risk, before planning a pregnancy, young people are advised to avoid bad habits, and strengthen the immune system. In addition to smoking, alcohol and chronic diseases adults note the following reasons:

mother's work in hazardous work;
low-quality products;
environmental pollution;
taking medications;
radioactive radiation.

All these factors in the lives of parents have a direct impact on their children. The list can be supplemented with previous abortions, difficult pregnancy (toxicosis, anemia, threat of miscarriage) and premature birth. The cause of the tumor is the presence of infections in a woman: chlamydia, mycoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus. The age of the mother also matters. The older the expectant mother, the higher the likelihood of the baby developing cancer.

Foods, diseases, medicines: danger is nearby

The question of why children suffering from cancer more than year after year can be asked by careless parents who do not care about their proper nutrition. The quality and composition of products plays a huge role for a growing body. Flaw fresh vegetables and fruits lead to vitamin deficiency. The predominance of fried, fatty, sweet and salty foods in the menu results in accumulation harmful substances in the body and failure of its functions. Dangerous products include chips, sweet bars and other semi-finished products that contain group E additives.

Hepatitis and herpes viruses have a negative effect on the immune system. Babies with Costman and Down syndrome are also at risk. Frequent colds, allergies and other “minor” diseases that weaken the immune system can cause trouble. Some medications also have adverse health effects. TO dangerous drugs include diuretics, barbiturates, androgens and phenytonin-based drugs.

During adolescence, the process of cell mutation is triggered by hormonal surges and psychological factors. Growing up, a child becomes dependent on living conditions and their influence does not pass without leaving a trace. Unfavorable atmosphere in the family, problems communicating with peers, nervous tension and mental stress affects health. Negative emotions also have destructive power.

Features of pediatric oncology

The nature of cancer has not been studied. Researchers put forward theories, but practice does not confirm them. Malignant formations They occur twice as often in children as in adults. Most often it is lymphoblastic leukemia in acute form and tumors affecting:

kidneys;
liver;
bones;
thyroid gland;
brain and spinal cord.

Recognizing the disease at an early stage increases the chances of successfully combating it and makes it possible to use gentle treatment methods. If your child is exhausted, complains of malaise and pain, loses weight, is irritable or becomes lethargic, you should consult a doctor. A special approach is used in the treatment of pediatric oncology.

The pharmaceutical industry is capable of producing effective drugs for chemotherapy, which do not cause significant harm to the body. Surgery and radiation therapy are used only in extreme cases. Caring attitude to the baby’s health will help protect him from dangerous illnesses.