Different cancers have different risk factors.
Risk Factors and Causes of Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancer is a rare and complex disease that occurs when gene mutations lead to uncontrolled cell growth and eventually cancer 1 2 3. Some of these gene mutations may be inherited from parents, while others may be caused by environmental factors 2. High dose ionizing radiation and prior chemotherapy are accepted causes of childhood cancer 4, as well as some infections and chemical exposure 5. However, for most childhood cancers, the exact cause is unknown 3.
Lifestyle and environmental risk factors
In adults, lifestyle-related risk factors, such as smoking, being overweight, not getting enough exercise, eating an unhealthy diet, and drinking alcohol play a major role in many types of cancer. But lifestyle factors usually take many years to influence cancer risk, and they are not thought to play much of a role in childhood cancers.
A few environmental factors, such as radiation exposure, have been linked with some types of childhood cancers. Some studies have also suggested that some parental exposures (such as smoking) might increase a child’s risk of certain cancers, but more studies are needed to explore these possible links. So far, most childhood cancers have not been shown to have environmental causes. (What about chemical exposure brought into the house from work shoes.)
Changes in genes
In recent years, scientists have begun to understand how certain changes in the DNA inside our cells can cause them to become cancer cells. DNA is the chemical that makes up our genes, which control nearly everything our cells do. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than just how we look. It also influences our risks for developing certain diseases, including some kinds of cancer.
Some genes control when our cells grow, divide into new cells, and die.
Genes that help cells grow, divide, or stay alive are called oncogenes.
Genes that slow down cell division, repair mistakes in a cell’s DNA, or cause
cells to die at the right time are called tumor suppressor genes.
Cancers can be caused by DNA changes that keep oncogenes
turned on, or that turn off tumor suppressor genes.
Inherited versus acquired gene mutations.
Some children inherit DNA changes (mutations) from a parent that increase their risk of certain types of cancer. These changes are present in every cell of the child’s body, and they can often be tested for in the DNA of blood cells or other body cells. Some of these DNA changes are linked only with an increased risk of cancer, while others can cause syndromes that also include other health or developmental problems.
But most childhood cancers are not caused by inherited DNA changes.
They are the result of DNA changes that happen early in the child’s life, sometimes even before birth. Every time a cell divides into 2 new cells, it must copy its DNA. This process isn’t perfect, and errors sometimes occur, especially when the cells are growing quickly. This kind of gene mutation can happen at any time in life and is called an acquired mutation. Acquired mutations are only in the person’s cancer cells and will not be
passed on to their children.
Sometimes the causes of gene changes in certain adult cancers are known (such as cancer-causing chemicals in cigarette smoke). But the causes of DNA changes in most childhood cancers are not known. Some may have outside causes like radiation exposure, and others may have causes that have not yet been found. But many are likely to be the result of random events that sometimes happen inside a cell, without having an outside cause.
The Causes of Childhood Cancer – Search Videos (bing.com)
The growth of childhood cancer is a major source of concern for health organizations all over the world. Childhood Cancer International (CCI) reports that 400,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 are diagnosed each year.
Click on to learn more about the most common types of the disease and how to treat it.
On February 15, 2018, Childhood Cancer International (CCI) stated that about 215,000 cases of cancer are detected every year in children and teenagers under 15. The statement was released in the scope of International Childhood Cancer Day. The international cancer research agency has warned of the need for joint global action to address the growing challenge posed by the disease.
Although the number of children with cancer is much lower, compared to the overall incidence of the disease in adults, the chances of surviving is much greater in children, says CCI. CCI reported that survival rates in developed countries average 84% and that these numbers are improving consistently, even in areas with fewer resources.
Early stages of childhood cancer are often difficult to diagnose, especially as the
symptoms can be confused with common childhood diseases such as viruses and colds.
The CCI campaign also showed a disparity in access to treatment for childhood cancer in
low and middle-income countries, where 80% of children and adolescents with cancer live.
Children and teenagers in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and parts of Eastern Europe have difficult access to essential medicines and specialized care. Therefore, the organization also said that the place where the child resides ultimately determines their ability to survive childhood cancer.
Most common types of childhood cancers
The most common variations of the disease in children are: Acute Lymphocytic
(or Lymphoid) Leukemia, Wilms’ Tumor, Retinoblastoma, Neuroblastoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Central Nervous System (Spinal Cord Brain) Tumors,
Primary Bone Tumors, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Leukemia
According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO), this type of cancer affects bone marrow and blood. It constitutes about 30% of all childhood cancer cases.
The two most common types are acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Both can spread rapidly and require immediate treatment.
Wilms’ tumor
It can affect one or two kidneys. It is most common among children in ages
between 3 and 4 years old. It accounts for 5% of cases of childhood cancer.
Retinoblastoma
It originates in retina cells. It is more common in children less than two years old, except for rare cases where children over six can be affected. It represents about 2% of cases.
Neuroblastoma
It’s more common in children during the first two years of life. This type of cancer, which is about 6% of all cases, can appear anywhere in the body.
Rhabdomyosarcoma
This type of cancer is found in soft tissues, so it is more common in children. It originates from cells that grow in muscles. It represents about 3% of childhood cancers.
Central nervous system tumors
These are the most common malignant tumors in children after leukemia and lymphomas. Spinal cord tumors are less common than those of the brain, both in adults and children.
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Brain Tumors
Brain tumors make up about 26% of all childhood cancers. Treatment and prognosis depend on the exact type and location of the tumor.
Proton Therapy – Search Videos (bing.com)
Proton therapy, also known as proton beam therapy, is a form of radiation treatment used to destroy tumor cells. Instead of using x-rays like regular radiation treatment, it uses protons to sends beams of high energy that can target tumors more precisely than X-ray radiation.
Bone cancer
Primary bone cancer grows in the bones themselves. This is different from metastatic bone cancer, which is a type of cancer that affects other parts of the body but spreads to the bones. Primary bone cancers make up about 3% of childhood cancer. The most common variations in children are osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma.
Lymphoma
It starts in the immune system and is likely to be found in the lymph nodes, tonsils, thymus, or spleen. Lymphoma is usually a rapidly growing form of cancer and requires immediate treatment.
Types of lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for about 3% of childhood cancer and is more common in young adults. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma accounts for about 5% of childhood cancers and is more common in younger children.
Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of death in children
under 15 following accidental deaths, according to ACCO.
Worrying figures
The organization warns that research into the development of new, less toxic treatment options has not kept pace with the disease’s growth. The ACCO noted that, of the more than 100 new drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1990, only two have been developed specifically to treat childhood cancer.
Optimism
Many forms of childhood cancer are now considered treatable, with long-term survival rates exceeding 80%, or in some cases, even 90%.
On the other hand…
Some forms of childhood cancer still have high death rates, and most survivors have long-term health problems.
Medical specialty
The National Cancer Institute points out that cancers in children are not always treated
as those of adults. Pediatric oncology is a medical specialty focused on the care of children with cancer.
Types of treatment
The types of treatment that a child with cancer will receive depends on the type of cancer and what stage it is in. The most common treatments are: surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplantation.
Research
The National Cancer Institute warns that every cancer case and treatment should be studied, in order to find out if the specific treatment is considered safe and effective.
Most of the progress made in identifying curative therapies has been achieved through clinical trials.
Side effects
ACCO stresses that children face unique problems in cancer treatments. Children may respond differently to the drugs used to control the symptoms, when compared to adults.
Life after cancer
It is essential that child cancer survivors receive follow-up care to monitor their health after treatment ends, ACCO emphasizes.
Sources: (ICCD) (ACCO) (NCI)
STARTLING FACT
WHO Predicts New Cancer Cases Will Increase 77% by 2050.
The World Health Organization predicts new cancer cases will reach 35 million globally by 2050, a 77% increase over 2022 figures. Key factors driving this rise include air pollution, alcohol, obesity and tobacco use.
Surviving the cancer cure | Scott Hamilton | TEDxKC
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