Childhood cancer

APPROXIMATELY 300,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed in children and teens under the age of 19 every year worldwide, resulting in 80,000 deaths annually. Each year, at least 3,500 Filipino children — almost 10 every day — are diagnosed with cancer, according to a paper published in 2016 in the online journal Cancer Control. This means that each day, at least 10 families will receive the devastating news that their child has cancer, a fact highlighted by the Cancer Coalition Philippines on the occasion of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September. Leukemia accounts for almost 50% of the total incidence of childhood cancer in the Philippines. Unfortunately, two-thirds of Filipino children with cancer are diagnosed when their disease is already in its advanced stages, the paper said. The types of cancers that occur most often in children are different from those that are common in adults, observed the American Cancer Society (ACS). The most common cancers of children are leukemia, brain and spinal cord tumors, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, lymphoma (including both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin), rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, and bone cancer (including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma), the ACS said. Common signs and symptoms of cancer in children include an unusual lump or swelling; unexplained paleness and loss of energy; easy bruising; an ongoing pain in one area of the body; limping; unexplained fever or illness that doesn’t go away; frequent headaches, often with vomiting; sudden eye or vision changes; and sudden unexplained weight loss. It is always best to consult a physician for any of these signs or symptoms. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) said that causes of most childhood cancers are not known but about 5% of all cancers in children are caused by an inherited genetic mutation. Since very little is known about what causes childhood cancer, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that preventive measures are difficult to develop for children. There are, however, many types of cancer treatment, and this will depend on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. The NCI said that common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplants. Today, 1,120 medicines and vaccines for cancer are currently in development, all of which are in clinical trials or awaiting review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers Association (PhRMA). The medicines in development include 137 for several types of leukemia and 135 for lymphoma, including non-Hodgkins lymphoma. A cancer diagnosis may be challenging for the child, his parents, and everyone in the family. For the child, changes and adjustments often go beyond the physical appearance but also his outlook in life. The NCI has provided some guidance on how to help a child cope with these changes. These changes may be in appearance, friendships, feelings, family schedule, and school days. The siblings of the child with cancer may also be affected by a diagnosis. The publication When your brother or sister has cancer started with the following assurances: • Many kids survive cancer. You have good reason to be hopeful; • You’re not alone; • You’re not to blame; • You can’t protect, but you can give comfort; and, • Knowledge is power. Sometimes what you imagine is actually worse than the reality. Various government agencies such as the Department of Health, PhilHealth, and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and other private groups have carried out efforts to promote the early detection and optimal treatment of childhood cancers in the country. At the moment, there is also a move to institutionalize cancer care through the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, which focuses on prevention, early and accurate detection, and optimal treatment for all forms of cancer. Reference: 1. https://www.acco.org/global-childhood-cancer-statistics/ 2. http://www.cancercontrol.info/cc2015/ the-global-improvement-of-childhood-cancer-care-in-the-philippines/ 3. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-inchildren/finding-childhood-cancers-early.html TEODORO B. PADILLA is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and the Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP). Medicine Cabinet is a weekly PHAP column that aims to promote awareness on public health and health care-related issues. PHAP and its member companies represent the research-based pharmaceutical and health care industry. medicinecabinet@phap.org.ph.