International Childhood Cancer Day 2022: Cancer is a malevolent ailment that does not differentiate and affects people of all ages. In addition, cancer is a disease that is not organ-specific and can target any part of the body. It is one of the leading causes of millions of people losing their lives every year across the world. And the most innocent victims of cancer are children.
According to the World Health Organization, the survival rate for children suffering from childhood cancer is as less as 30 percent in low-and-mid-income countries (LMICs). The reason for the low survival rate has a wide array of reasons behind it. The factors influencing the survival rate include inaccessible therapy, abandonment of treatment, and delay in diagnosis, among others.
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Every year, February 15 is observed as International Childhood Cancer Day to raise awareness about the evil that entails this issue and the ways to deal with the same.
Childhood cancer can be extremely lethal and, unfortunately, of many types. Here are the most common kinds of cancer that cost innocent children their lives.
Leukaemia
Leukaemia is a cancer that targets the bone marrow and blood and is one of the most common kinds of childhood cancers. This type of cancer has multiple sub-types, such as Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia (ALL) and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). This form of cancer grows quickly and needs immediate diagnosis and treatment.
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma starts developing in a very nascent stage. The disease can affect a child as early as the stage of the foetus development inside the womb. Although cancer can spread anywhere in the body, Neuroblastoma generally starts in the belly area.
Brain and Spinal Cord Tumours
This is the second most common form of childhood cancer and affects the brain. It generally starts at the lower part of the brain and grows to a larger area. The most commonly affected areas include the cerebellum, also known as the brain stem.
Wilms Tumour
Generally found in children between the ages of 3 and 5, Wilms tumour affects one of the kidneys, or in very rare cases, both the kidneys. The cancer is visible as a small swelling or lump in the belly area.
Retinoblastoma
It is a cancer that affects the eyes and accounts for 2 percent of cases in all childhood cancer cases. Generally, the blood vessels at the back of the eye get swollen and appear red. The pupil, however, looks white or pink.
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