Leukaemia
Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, where there is an abnormal increase in the number of immature white blood cells; these are called ‘blast’ cells. Leukaemia arises from the blood-forming tissues of the bone marrow, lymph nodes and spleen. Whether it is myeloid or lymphoid leukaemia depends on the cell line that is affected.
The two main types of leukaemia that affect children and young people are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Joe has leukaemia CLIC Sargent story book for children, to help them understand cancer and its treatment
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
ALL is the most common form of leukaemia in children. The prognosis has improved over recent years and it is now likely that at least 80% of children and young people with this type of leukaemia will remain in prolonged remission with every chance of cure.
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
AML is much less common in children and young people than ALL. The prognosis is poorer but in recent years survival rates have risen to over 60%. Children under four years of age with Down syndrome have a significantly increased risk of having AML compared to the general childhood population. Treatment for AML is intensive and patients are in hospital for most of their treatment time - normally 6-8 months. The symptoms of AML are similar to that of ALL as are the diagnostics carried out. Determining that the leukaemia is AML as opposed to ALL is done by evaluating the blast cells to determine if the myeloid cell line is involved.
Brain and central nervous system tumours
Brain and central nervous system tumours are the second most common cancers in children. There are many types of brain tumours and the treatment and outlook for each is different but there are two main types. Medulloblastoma starts in the lower part of the brain, such as the cerebellum or brain stem. A glioma develops from the supporting cells of the brain known as glial cells. They can be subdivided into two further types in children: astrocytomas and ependymomas. Doctors group them by how quickly they grow (known as the grade of the tumour) and how the cells look under a microscope. All of these may spread to other parts of the brain or into the spinal cord.
Children who present with a short history and obvious symptoms are likely to have aggressive disease in comparison with those who have a long history of subtle symptoms. Spinal cord tumours are less common than brain tumours.
My child has a brain or spinal tumour CCLG booklet for parents about the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spinal tumours, and more detailed information about the different types of brain and spinal tumours
Mary has a brain tumour CLIC Sargent story book for children to help them understand cancer and its treatment
Lymphomas
These cancers start in certain cells of the immune system called lymphocytes. They most often grow in lymph nodes and other lymph tissues, like the tonsils or thymus. Lymphomas can also affect the bone marrow and other organs, and can cause different symptoms depending on where the cancer is. Lymphomas can cause weight loss, fever, sweats, tiredness (fatigue), and lumps (swollen lymph nodes) under the skin in the neck, armpit, or groin.
The 2 main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin lymphoma (sometimes called Hodgkin disease) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Both types can occur in children.
Hodgkin lymphoma is more common in early adulthood. Hodgkin lymphoma is rare in children younger than 5 years of age. This type of cancer is very similar in children and adults, including which types of treatment work best.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to occur in younger children than Hodgkin lymphoma, but it is still rare in children younger than 3. The most common types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children are different from those in adults. These cancers often grow quickly and require intensive treatment, but they also tend to respond better to treatment than most non-Hodgkin lymphomas in adults.
Tom has lymphoma CLIC Sargent story book to help children understand cancer and its treatment
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma starts in early forms of nerve cells found in a developing embryo or foetus. About 6% of childhood cancers are neuroblastomas. This type of cancer occurs in infants and young children. It is rarely found in children older than 10. This tumour can start anywhere but is usually in the belly (abdomen) and is noticed as swelling. It can also cause bone pain.
My child has neuroblastoma CCLG booklet for parents about the diagnosis and treatment of neuroblastoma
Soft tissue sarcomas
Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children. It starts in cells that normally develop into skeletal muscles. (These are the muscles that we control to move parts of our body.) This type of cancer can start nearly any place in the body, including the head and neck, groin, belly (abdomen), pelvis, or in an arm or leg. It may cause pain, swelling (a lump), or both.
Bone cancers
Primary bone cancers (cancers that start in the bones) occur most often in older children and teens, but they can develop at any age. Two main types of primary bone cancers occur in children:
Osteosarcoma is most common in teens, and usually develops in areas where the bone is growing quickly, such as near the ends of the long bones in the legs or arms. It often causes bone pain that gets worse at night or with activity. It can also cause swelling in the area around the bone.
Ewing sarcoma is a less common type of bone cancer, which can also cause bone pain and swelling. It is most often found in young teens. The most common places for it to start are the pelvic (hip) bones, the chest wall (such as the ribs or shoulder blades), or in the middle of the long leg bones.
Primary bone cancer is different from metastatic bone cancer, which is cancer that starts somewhere else in the body and then spreads to the bones. Metastatic bone cancer is more common than primary bone cancer because many types of cancer (including many cancers in adults) can spread to the bones.
Renal cancers
Wilms' tumour (also called nephroblastoma) is the most common kidney tumour in children, it starts in one, or rarely, both kidneys. It is most often found in children about 3 to 4 years old, and is uncommon in children older than age 6. It can show up as a swelling or lump in the abdomen. Sometimes the child might have other symptoms, like fever, pain, nausea, or poor appetite.
My child has a kidney tumour CCLG booklet for parents about the diagnosis and treatment of renal tumours, including Wilms' tumour and other, more rare kidney tumours
Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is a cancer of the eye. It usually occurs in children around the age of 2, and is seldom found in children older than 6. Retinoblastomas are usually found because a parent or doctor notices a child’s eye looks unusual. Normally when you shine a light in a child’s eye, the pupil (the dark spot in the center of the eye) looks red because of the blood in vessels in the back of the eye. In an eye with retinoblastoma, the pupil often looks white or pink. This white glare of the eye may be noticed after a flash picture is taken.
Liver tumours
These are rare in children. There are 2 types: usually a hepatoblastoma is diagnosed in younger children and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in older children
Germ cell tumours
Germ cell tumours can appear at any age. They develop from cells that produce eggs or sperm so germ cell tumours can affect the ovaries or testes. However, it is possible for a germ cell tumour to develop in other parts of the body.
Further information
CCLG produces a series of factsheets on each of the main types of childhood cancer, with information about diagnosis and treatment. Although these are designed for parents, the information will be useful to those involved in the care of children and supporting the family.
CCLG tumour specific factsheets
Lucy has a tumour CLIC Sargent story book to help children understand cancer and its treatment