February 15th is International Childhood Cancer Day.

      FEBRUARY 15TH IS INTERNATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER DAY.

Childhood cancers are a serious health problem affecting the lives of thousands of children every year, both globally and in our country. Globally, approximately 400,000 children and adolescents (0-19) are expected to be diagnosed with cancer each year. In our country, approximately 4,800 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer annually. Although childhood cancers are rarer than in adults, they are a leading cause of disease-related deaths among children in many countries. The types of cancer seen in childhood are quite different from those typically seen in adults. While the most common cancers in adults are breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers, the most common cancers in children are leukemias, central nervous system tumors, and lymphomas.

On February 15th, International Childhood Cancer Day, awareness campaigns aim to increase public sensitivity to childhood cancers, disseminate accurate information, support affected children and their families, and strengthen social solidarity.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children have the right to the highest standard of health and access to necessary treatment and care. Within this framework, February 15th, International Childhood Cancer Day, emphasizes that all children and adolescents with cancer have the right to equal access to diagnosis, treatment, care, and psychosocial support.

In our country, awareness about childhood cancers is increased through annual events, and information is shared about the symptoms, risk factors, and treatment methods of childhood cancers. Through these efforts, the aim is to raise public awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment and to increase social solidarity.

• Most Common Types of Cancer in Children

The types of cancer that occur in childhood differ from the types of cancer that occur in adults. The most common types are:

• Leukemias
• Lymphomas
• Solid Tumors

Today, survival rates have significantly increased thanks to the safer and combined use of modern chemotherapy protocols, targeted therapies, surgery, and radiotherapy.

Children are biologically different from adults, and the vast majority of childhood cancers are not preventable. Furthermore, unlike adult cancers, there are no well-known and widespread screening programs for childhood cancers. Therefore, early diagnosis is possible by recognizing symptoms that may indicate cancer in children and seeking timely medical attention. Unusual and persistent findings, in particular, should be carefully evaluated. Awareness among parents and healthcare professionals is vital in this process.

• Symptoms:
• Pallor of the skin (signs of anemia)
• Constant weakness and easy fatigue
• Frequent and severe, prolonged infections
• Unexplained bruises on the body, nosebleeds or gum bleeding, bleeding that is difficult to stop.
• Loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss
• Swelling or a lump in the abdomen or chest wall
• Painless swelling in the lymph nodes
• Bone and joint pain (especially worse at night or waking the child from sleep)
• The presence of prolonged or recurrent unexplained fever.
• Sudden changes in vision, blindness, double vision, white reflection in the pupil
• Frequent and severe headaches accompanied by vomiting, and an increase in head circumference.

• Risk Factors

• Genetic predisposition and epigenetic changes are among the strongest risk factors for the development of childhood cancers.
• Birth defects and chromosomal abnormalities (particularly Down syndrome) are associated with a significant increased risk for many types of cancer.
• Having previously been diagnosed with cancer increases the risk of developing a second cancer, depending on the chemotherapy and radiotherapy used.
• Ionizing radiation (especially from excessive CT scans during childhood) increases the risk of leukemia and brain tumors.
• Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays increases the risk, particularly of developing melanoma.
• Immunosuppression after organ transplantation is strongly associated with childhood cancers.
• Oncogenic viral infections (e.g., Epstein-Barr virus) play a role in the development of some childhood cancers.

• The Importance of Early Diagnosis in Childhood Cancer:

Early diagnosis is one of the most important factors in the success of treating childhood cancers.

• Survival rates increase
• Both the effectiveness of treatment and quality of life improve.
• It may require less intensive and less costly treatment.
• A better response to treatment is obtained.

Therefore, awareness of the symptoms among families and primary care professionals can be life-saving.