HYDERABAD: Marking Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, doctors stressed the crucial role of parents in staying alert to symptoms for timely testing and early detection of cancer in children. They noted that cases are on the rise, with at least 50,000–75,000 new cases reported annually.
“Leukaemia, lymphoma and central nervous system tumours are the most common cancers in children,” said Dr Annie Q Hasan, Head of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at a private hospital. “Some inherited and genetic conditions, including Neurofibromatosis, Retinoblastoma, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Fanconi anaemia, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease and Down syndrome – raise the risk. These conditions may cause tumour-suppressing genes to mutate or lead to chromosomal abnormalities, triggering leukaemia, brain tumours or sarcomas.”
With genetic testing, certain cancers can be identified at an early stage, enabling timely treatment. Consultant Paediatrician and Intensivist Dr Kanchan S Channawar added that some cancerous cells may even begin forming before birth, during foetal development.
“The faster these abnormal cells grow, the earlier cancer manifests in childhood. Leukaemia and lymphomas are the most frequent types. Unlike in adults, children often respond more quickly to chemotherapy and recover faster, resuming their normal lives.
However, factors such as genetic mutations, rapid foetal cell growth, prenatal exposure to radiation, drugs or chemicals, infections like Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and immune system abnormalities can contribute to childhood cancer.
Environmental pollution and parental lifestyle habits also play a role. Warning signs include repeated fever without reason, loss of appetite, weight loss, joint pain, headaches, abdominal pain, swollen lymph nodes and pale skin,” Dr Kanchan said.