Top 5 Pediatric Cancers: The Warning Signs
The types of cancers that develop in children are different from those that develop in adults. Lifestyle or environmental risk factors don’t play a role. Instead, it’s usually the result of DNA changes in cells that take place very early in life.
Because of major treatment advances, more than 80 percent of children with cancer now survive five years or more. Still, cancer is the second leading cause of death in children younger than 15 years old, after accidents.
Cancers in children are sometimes hard to recognize because common illnesses or everyday bumps and bruises can mask the early warning signs. Take a closer look at the top five cancers found in children and the warning signs for each.
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Sign up!Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
The most common childhood cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia accounts for about 34 percent of all cancers in children. ALL typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 4, and is more common in males than females. Leukemia begins in bone marrow and spreads to the blood, and can then spread to the organs. Three out of four childhood leukemia cases are ALL.
Symptoms of ALL
- Bone and joint pain
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Bleeding
- Fever
- Weight loss
