Cancer specialists on 14th February, 2018 (Wednesday) said cancer cases among children in Hyderabad have doubled over the last ten years, with five percent childhood cancer recorded in 2017. In India, there are close to 50,000 new cases of childhood cancer every year with leukemia - a form of blood cancer having the highest incidence. On the eve of World Childhood Cancer Day, doctors pointed out that in many cases of paediatric cancers the symptoms are often overlooked by parents and even healthcare practitioners. Experts say it is commonly assumed that cancer is a disease affecting adults, but lately more children are being diagnosed with cancer every year. If provided proper treatment, paediatric cancers have good prognosis as compared to adult cancers. "In most cases, the symptoms are ignored by parents and even doctors do not suspect cancer; so the diagnosis gets delayed. It is important for parents to know that cancer in children is not common, but it's important to get the child checked by a paediatrician if some unusual symptoms are persistent or recurrent", said Dr. Preethi Sharma, consultant paediatrician at KIMS Cuddles in Kondapur. She added that survival rates of childhood cancer are high (80%) in developed countries, but hovers near 30% in India.
"In India, the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer needs to be strengthened and be more accessible. There is need for more dedicated cancer hospitals and awareness among general public regarding childhood cancer", said Dr. Sharma. Doctors said unusual lumps or swelling, increasing or sudden paleness and loss of energy, easy bruising or bleeding, ongoing pain in an area of the body like bones, joints and back, limping or easy fractures, unexplained fever or prolonged illness and frequent headaches are a few symptoms.
-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy-
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