Cancers Affecting Children

Leukaemia

 

Signs and Symptoms: More bleeding than usual in the case of minor injury, Anaemia, Pain in the bone and joints

Diagnostic Test: Complete Blood Count (CBC), Peripheral Smear, Bone Marrow Aspiration, Flow Cytometry

When to contact your Oncologist?

  • Any unusual sign in the child such as abnormal pain, trouble breathing or excessive bleeding in case of minor injury calls for further diagnostic tests.

Treatment: There is almost ninety percent chance of cure with Chemotherapy. In high risk patients cure rate goes down with 5 year survival of 60-70%

Side Effects

  • Immediate side effects can be infection or allergic reaction to drug. Infection sometimes causes death in rare scenario.
  • Late side effects can be GVHD Acute or Chronic. Sometimes chemotherapy can have late side effects which patient has to discuss with his or her physician.
  • I would say before meeting the Oncologist, read about the disease, cure rates with transplants and write a set of questions which you want to ask. If you forgot, ask next time so there should be no confusion in your mind especially when you are going for such an aggressive treatment.

Disclaimer:This page gives you a bird’s eye view of common cancers. It is in no way exhaustive. There are many forms of cancer and related diagnostic tests. The signs and symptoms are many and can also vary from person to person based on disease type and stage