Our body is made up of millions of tiny building blocks called cells. In short, cancer is a disease in which normal cells of the body undergo abnormal growth. Typically, cell division happens in an orderly and controlled fashion. But sometimes, this process gets derailed. Instead of normal cells, abnormal cells may be produced.
Abnormal cells in the body are called malignant cells. When they form, the body usually has a mechanism to destroy such cells and keep their number in check. Unfortunately, in some situations, this mechanism can be defective. So the abnormal cells continue to divide and accumulate in the body.More over, malignant cells (abnormal cells)divide and grow faster than normal body cells and form an abnormal mass or growth, which is called cancer.
What is a tumour?
The abnormal growth of cells in the body forms a lump or mass of cells called a tumour. There are two types of tumours: cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign). If the cells in the tumour are abnormal (cancer cells), it is called a malignant tumour. In a malignant tumour, the cancer cells rapidly divide and spread to other part of the body parts.
If the cells in the tumour are normal, it is called a benign tumour. This is because it does not spread to another part of the body. However, it does grow into the surrounding area and cause a pressure effect. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between different tumours and understand that all the tumours are not cancerous.
What are the different types of cancer in children?
There are different types of cancers in children, and they can occur in different parts of the body, such as the kidney or the brain. Cancer can develop from a blood stem cell (the cells seen in bone marrow and which produce blood cells ) and is called blood cancer. It is also called Leukaemia and is the most common cancer in children.
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops from the lymphoid organs of the body, which is part of the body’s defence system. Sarcoma is a type of cancer seen in children, which affects the bone and muscle of the body. Wilms tumour is a kidney cancer also seen in children. Neuroblastoma is a cancer that arises from the body’s adrenal system. Hepatoblastoma is a type of liver cancer and, retinoblastoma is a type of childhood cancer that develops inside of the eye.
What is meant by metastasis?
Sometimes cancer cells from the original (primary) site spread to other parts of the body. When the cancer cells reach a new area, they divide and grow at the new site. This process is called metastasis. The new sites can be normal bone, bone marrow, liver, lungs, and brain. The growing cancer cells in the new area can affect the function of the new site. For example, if it spreads to the brain, it can affect the function of the brain, or if it spreads to the liver, it can affect the function of the liver. Each cancer spreads to a specific part of the body. The result of the cancer treatment is favourable if we can diagnose the cancer before it spreads to other part of the body.
How do cancers in children differ from cancers in adults?
Cure rates for cancer in children is much higher than that of adult cancers.”
Cancers in children respond differently to the treatment. Cure rates for cancer in children is much higher than that of adult cancers. Although children are small, their bodies withstand the side effects of cancer treatments much better than adults. By using available treatment, we can cure most cancers occurring in children.
What is the cause of cancers in children?
The cause of cancers in children and young people is still unknown. It’s also important to understand that it is highly unlikely that anything you or your child has done in the past has caused their cancer. Lifestyle risk factors probably have less impact on cancer risk in childhood than adult cancer risk because children are young and have had less time to be exposed to these factors.
