Catch It Early: Know The Signs of Childhood Cancer

Cancer is when cells in the body begin to grow out of control. This can occur in almost every part of your body.

While there are more common types of cancer in children vs. adults, the biggest differences between cancer in children and cancer in adults most often involve the way the cancer is treated.

Because of the major advancements in treatments, the American Cancer Society says that roughly 85% of children with cancer now live 5+ years after being diagnosed with cancer, a massive increase since the mid-70s when this rate was under 60%.

The most important thing when it comes to successfully treating childhood cancer is catching it early.

Signs of Cancer in Children

Childhood cancer can be difficult to recognize since early symptoms can look a lot like those caused by common illnesses and injuries. Plus, symptoms from a cold or even bumps and bruises may inadvertently hide other symptoms related to cancer.

If your child has the following symptoms that persist, it's time to take them to see their care provider:

• Unusual lump or swelling
• Inexplicable paleness or fatigue
• Bruising easily
• Persistent pain in a specific area of their body
• Unexplained fever or persistent illness
• Frequent headaches and nausea
• Sudden vision changes or unexplained weight loss

Although most of these symptoms are much more likely to be caused by something other than cancer, your child should still see their care provider so that they can determine the cause and treat it, if necessary.

Treatments for Childhood Cancer

Because cancer in children isn't often caused by environmental factors, like smoking or radiation exposure, there aren't many strategies to prevent childhood cancer yet.

However, treatments are often very effective at beating cancer. The American Cancer Society says that oftentimes multiple approaches are used to treat children with cancer, including chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy.

The most important thing is to find the best care possible for cancer treatment. If you are seeking cancer treatment for your child, your child's care provider can help you determine where to go and can even refer you to a specialist.