Child cancer cases increase
There is an increase in the number of childhood cancer eases being referred 10 the Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye teaching hospitals.
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Between 2002 and 2004, an estimated 80 to 100 cases annually were referred to the hospital but this has increased to between 150 and 200 cases.
A Consultant Pediatrician, Dr Lorna Awo Renner, said the increasing number of cases were due to multiple factors such as increasing awareness on the part of parents and health professionals and improved diagnosis, which results in the referral of cases.
Dr Renner, however, said it was difficult to know whether there was really an increase in the number of cases "as we do not have previous data for the country."
She mentioned the common childhood cancers as cancer of the lymph glands (Lymphoma), which is the commonest; cancer of the blood (leukemia), eye cancer (Retinoblastoma), kidney cancer (Wilms Tumour) and muscle cancer (Rhabdomyosarcoma).
Symptoms
Dr Renner advised parents to seek help for persistent symptoms of any illness.
For symptoms in the eye, she encouraged parents to look our tor any shiny white spot in the eye; squint, bulging eye or impaired vision adding that a lump or swelling on any part of the body should also be a source of concern.
Other symptoms are: unexplained fever; weight loss: bleeding, anaemia; aches or pain in bones; persistent headaches; unsteady walking and a head that is becoming larger.
Dr Renner said ail these symptoms were early signs of cancer and if parents noticed any, they should ensure that the child is thoroughly examined by a health professional.
Prevention
Dr Renner said unfortunately, there was no known prevention for childhood cancers.
World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is celebrated on February 4 every year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said "the globe is facing a 'tidal wave of cancer, and restrictions on alcohol and sugar need to be considered."
It predicts the number of cancer cases will reach 24 million a year by 2035, but half of these could be prevented.
The WHO also said there was now a 'real need' to focus on cancer prevention by tackling smoking, obesity and drinking.
Fourteen million people a year are diagnosed with cancer, but that is predicted to increase to 19 million by 2025; 22 million by 2030 and 24 million by 2035.
What is cancer?
Cancer is a group of many related diseases that begin in cells which come together to form the body. To understand cancer, it is helpful to know what happens when normal cell become cancerous.
The body is made up of many type of cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them.
This orderly process helps keep the body healthy. Sometimes, however, cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed. These extra cells form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumour.
Tumours can be benign or malignant. Benign tumours do not have cancer cells but malignant tumours are cancerous.
from its original location to another pan of the body, the new tumour has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumour.
How are cancers named
Most cancers are named for the organ or type of cell in which they begin.
When cancer spreads, cancer cells are often found in nearby or regional lymph nodes (sometimes called lymph glands). If the cancer has reached these nodes it means mat cancer cells may have spread to other organs such as the liver, bones, or brain.
When cancer spreads from its original location to another part of the body, the new tumour has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumour.
For example, if lung cancer spreads to the brain, the cancer cells in the brain arc actually lung cancer cells.
The disease is called metastatic lung cancer and not brain cancer for instance.
Childhood cancers
Children can get cancer in the same parts of the body as adults do, but some types of cancer are more common in children.
The most common form of childhood cancer is leukaemia. Leukaemia is cancer of the blood. It develops in the bone marrow, which is a spongy substance that fills the inside of the bones and makes blood cells.
After a child's cancer has been diagnosed, a series of tests will be done to help identify the child's specific type of cancer. This series of tests which is called staging is sometimes done during diagnosis. Staging determines how mud cancer is in the body and where it is located.