Not yet known exactly what causes cancer in children. Cancer that affects infants from birth, is thought to cause cell growth aberration caused genetic defects in the womb. In children greater, suspected triggers are environmental factors and children's food is not healthy. It could also be due to radiation or viral infection. Or a combination of genetic, environmental, radiation, and infection.
Cancer is most often found in children is a blood cancer or leukemia (25-30%), followed by retinoblastoma (cancer of the retina of the eye), lymphoma (lymph node cancer), neuroblastoma (nerve cancer), kidney cancer (Wilms tumor) , rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer of striated muscle), and osteosarcoma (bone cancer).
Just as in adults, childhood cancers can be cured if found in early stages. But early detection of childhood cancer is not easy, because children can not understand and tell the symptoms felt. Therefore the role of the people around him are very important in detecting the symptoms of cancer.
According to some sources, symptoms of childhood cancer include:
a. Blood Cancer (Leukemia)
Symptoms to watch and is often found in leukemia, among others, face pale, listless, weak, fever is not clear why and not cured by antibiotics, unexplained bleeding, bruising the surface of the skin appears blue-black when not knock, limb pain (bone ), abdominal swelling / hard, enlarged lymph nodes.
b. Brain Cancer
Symptoms to watch out for are headaches that are more and more severe, accompanied by nausea to vomiting spraying due to the pressure of the head increases. Can also be accompanied by speech disturbances, visual disturbances, balance disturbances, convulsions, loss of consciousness, even behavioral changes. The special feature on the baby was top of his head protruding.
c. Retina Eye Cancer (Retinoblastoma)
Cancer is most common in infants aged 6 months-2 years. Symptoms to look out for is the white spot in the middle of the eyes that seemed to shine when the light hit (like a cat). Another symptom is vision impaired, squint suddenly, and at an advanced stage protruding eyeballs.
d. Lymph node cancer (malignant lymphoma)
This cancer mostly affects children aged 5-7 years. Symptoms to watch out for is if there is a progressive swelling of the lymph glands in the neck, armpits, and intestine, without the inflammation and pain. When you arise in the lymph nodes in the intestines, it can cause blockage of the intestine with symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, unable to defecate, and fever. When grown in the chest area, can encourage or suppress the airways, so that patients have shortness of breath and blue face. In addition, children appear weak, lethargic, and decreased appetite.
e. Nerve cancer (Neuroblastoma)
Cancer sympathetic nerve can occur in various parts of the body. In children most often occurs near the kidneys, in the waist, in the neck or chest cavity, and eyes. If there is in the eye area, can make eyeballs bulging, swollen eyelids and blue, or eyelids down, and dilated pupils. If there is in the spine, it can press against the spinal cord and result in paralysis of the fast. The spread of the bones can cause fractures without reason, without pain, so people suddenly limp. Another symptom is lumps appear on the head, or abdomen enlarged and hard.
f. Kidney Cancer (Nefroblastoma)
Nefroblastoma often called Wilms' tumor is most common in children aged 3-4 years, but can also attack the newborn. Symptoms are characterized by bloody urine, discomfort in the abdomen, and when old enough belly looks bigger and feel harder.
g. Muscle Cancer (Rabdomiosarkoma)
This cancer can affect muscles anywhere, the child is usually in the head, neck, bladder, prostate, and vagina. Symptoms depending on its location. In the eye socket may cause protruding eyes, a lump in the eye. In the ear causing pain or bleeding from the ear hole. In the urinary tract causing urinary disorders. If the limb striated muscle, causing swelling.
h. Bone Cancer (Osteosarcoma)
Osteosarcoma usually attacks children aged 10-20 years. Can attack any part of the bone, but most are found in the legs, arms, and hips. Usually marked pain and swelling of the bone. Sometimes preceded the crunch, as fall is not clear why.
If you find the symptoms as described above, in infants and children, immediately consult a doctor. The treatment is basically the same as adults, the combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplantation.
Medium prevention efforts that can be done is, pregnant women should avoid radiation, avoiding pollution and cigarette smoke, always eat healthy foods and avoid foods that contain added chemicals, reduce the consumption of fat, and get the children to live healthy, eating healthy, protected from pollution.