HOSA is a sponsor for The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is devoted to fund research to eliminate childhood cancer. Pediatric cancer is the name used to describe cancer that occurs between birth and nineteen years of age. Childhood cancer may be rare but there are about 15,780 children per year diagnosed with cancer according to The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Childhood cancer differs from adult cancer by the way it spreads, grows and how it is treated. Common types of childhood cancer are leukemia, brain and spinal cord, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, and bone cancer. 

 

Leukemia: The most common type of childhood cancer. This type of cancer happens in the bone marrow and blood. The most common types of leukemia in childhood cancer are acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Acute means that the cancer can progress very quickly if it’s not treated. Lymphocytic leukemia develops from early forms of lymphocytes and it takes over your blood and can spread to other organs like lymph nodes, spleen, liver, spinal cord, etc. Acute myeloid leukemia starts in the bone marrow and begins in cells that turn into white blood cells but can also start in other blood forming cells. With this type of leukemia bone marrow cells do not grow the way they are supposed to and the immature cells, blasts, build up in your body. Leukemia doesn’t make tumors like other types of cancer.

 

Brain & Spinal Cord Cancer: A disease where abnormal cells form in the tissues of the brain or spinal cord. This type of cancer affects the central nervous system and attacks it by the masses of abnormal cells in the brain and spinal cord that have grown out of control.

 

Neuroblastoma: This type of cancer develops from nerve cells in the fetus, neuroblasts. This type of cancer can be inherited and passed down in families. They generally develop in adrenal glands and can begin to spread to other areas of the body such as: chest, spine, spinal cord and the abdomen. Most children diagnosed with neuroblastoma are diagnosed before the age of five.

 

Wilms Tumor: A solid cancerous tumor of the kidney that arrives from immature kidney cells. It may be inherited. This type of tumor progresses because of genetics and how far the disease has progressed. 

 

Lymphoma: This cancer starts in the lymphatic system. It attacks the system that helps the body filter out dead cells and other debris from the bloodstream and protects the body from germs, bacteria and viruses. 

 

Rhabdomyosarcoma: An aggressive malignant form of cancer which develops from skeletal muscle cells that have failed to differentiate. There are two types. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma which is seen in children under five and affects the head, neck, bladder, vagina or the prostate and testicles. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma happens in all age groups and affects the large muscles of the arms, legs and trunk.

 

Retinoblastoma: This is a rare cancer of the retina (the thin membrane on the back of the eye that is stimulated by light). It is usually diagnosed before a child reaches the age of 3. This type of cancer can be hereditary. 

Bone Cancer: A mass of unusual cells growing in a bone. Can begin in any bone of the body but it commonly affects the pelvis or the long bones in the arms and legs.

 Sources:

www.Webmd.com

https://www.stjude.org/

https://nationalpcf.org/

Make sure to check out their research on childhood cancer!

We are towards tomorrow and we hope the cure for cancer is in the near future.

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