This international observance recognizes families and children affected by pediatric cancer. It also serves as a reminder to communities of the support and care they can offer to those who have been or are being impacted by these diseases. Logan Health’s Pediatric Hematology and Oncology clinicians have answered some of the common questions surrounding pediatric cancer to spread awareness, provide education and foster hope.
How rare is childhood cancer?
While childhood cancer is very rare, when it happens to you or your child, it no longer feels “rare.” However, for the medical team taking care of your child, this is our “every day” and we are here to support you.
There are about 15,000 new diagnoses each year of childhood cancer in children and young adolescents (ages 0 to 19). While this may seem like a large number, the new cancer cases in adults each year in the US is about 2 million. In addition, the total number of children in the US (0-17) is approximately 74 million. That means that <1% of children in the US will be diagnosed with cancer each year.
More children are surviving a cancer diagnosis every year. The number of childhood cancer survivors in the United States is expected to approach 580,000 by the year 2040.
What are the most common types of childhood cancer?
Cancer can start in any cell or organ in the body. Childhood cancers are usually put into four main categories: leukemia (cancer of the blood cells), brain tumors, lymphoma, and solid tumors (such as tumors in the bone, muscle, kidney, etc). Cancer types and location vary depending on age groups; for example, eye cancer (retinoblastoma) is almost always diagnosed before age 5, while Hodgkin Lymphoma is usually diagnosed in patients older than 15 years of age.
The most common leukemia is acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, and about 3,000 children in the US are diagnosed each year.
There are two types of lymphoma: Hodgkin Lymphoma (most common in children > 15 years of age, approx. 1180 per year) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (800 per year).
The most common solid (non-brain) tumor is neuroblastoma, with about 650-700 children diagnosed each year in the US.
The most common brain tumor is medulloblastoma, with about 500 children diagnosed each year in the US.
Other cancers are much rarer; for example, only 250-300 cases of retinoblastoma, cancer in the eye, are diagnosed each year in the US.
What types of treatment are used to treat childhood cancer?
There are many different ways to treat childhood cancer, and sometimes more than one treatment type is needed. Surgery can be used to remove some or all of the tumor. Medications can be given by mouth or through a blood vessel to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. Most people know about chemotherapy, which is the typical type of powerful medicine used in childhood cancer treatment. New treatments now include immunotherapy, which uses the immune system to fight the cancer, and targeted therapy, which uses drugs that can target certain features of the cancer cells. Finally, radiation therapy can be used to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.
How can I help someone I know who has a child with cancer?
The journey that each family affected by pediatric cancer will travel is unique, and what each patient/family needs for support is different in each situation. At Logan Health, we have a full support team (social work, Child Life specialists, therapists) who are working with the families to find resources to help with travel, medical costs, and daily living. Depending on how well you know the person, sometimes it is good to ask what is most helpful, but often families are overwhelmed and may not know how to respond or feel uncomfortable asking for things. If you can give something, gift cards are always helpful. Showing your support can be as simple as writing a card for the child to put up in their hospital room. Flowers and food (for the patient) are not great items, as there is infection risk or taste preferences and changes that might occur with cancer treatments. However, giving food to the family of a patient is usually very appreciated.
For more information about Logan Health Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, visit https://www.logan.org/services/childrens/pediatric-hematology-oncology/