Childhood cancer symptoms can resemble those of other common pediatric conditions. Cancer in children requires a lengthy and relatively intensive course of treatment. It involves frequent hospital visits, possible hospitalization, and repeated injections, all of which can be stressful for both the child and the family in addition to the child. There are several ways to approach this, said Dr. Gauri Kapoor.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is in September, so Drs. Gauri Kapoor, Sandeep Jain, and Payal Malhotra, experts at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, shared their knowledge to raise awareness about childhood cancer and its causes.
Children’s cancer is a rare disease, according to Dr. Gauri Kapoor, Medical Director of the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCIRC), Niti Bagh, and Director of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology. In India, there are roughly 50000 new cases of cancer diagnosed each year in children under the age of 15. Leukaemia, a type of blood cancer, is the most frequent cancer in children. If caught early and treated at specialized hospitals, it is highly curable. Children with cancer have a 70 percent cure rate.
Childhood cancer symptoms can resemble those of other common paediatric conditions. Long-lasting, unexplained fevers, unexplained paleness and weakness, easy bruising or bleeding, an odd lump or swelling or pain in one area of the body, frequent headaches, frequently accompanied by vomiting, and unexpected changes in the eye or vision are all signs of childhood cancer. Numerous immunotherapies are being tested on these kids to lessen the treatment’s toxicity and long-term effects. And children need these because they receive care while they are still developing and their organ functions are still developing, according to Dr. Kapoor.
Dr. Sandeep Jain, Sr. Consultant – Paediatric Haematology & Oncology, RGCIRC, said when discussing childhood cancer, only 10-15% of cases in India can receive the proper care. Therefore, there is a pressing need to raise awareness of early diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Jain talked about the symptoms so paediatric cancers could be found early and treated at specialized hospitals. The common misconceptions about paediatric cancer were discussed by Dr. Payal Malhotra, Consultant Paediatric Oncology, RGCIRC (Rohini). “Childhood cancers are very treatable and are not the same as adult cancers. Although childhood cancer is sporadic, it is crucial to recognize the warning signs. These must be identified, and young patients must be sent immediately to specialized paediatric cancer centres with multidisciplinary teams. Since patients are sent to technical facilities when their cancer has progressed, India has lower cure rates. According to Dr. Payal, physicians need to be more aware of warning signs.
