Chapter 13: Cancer in Children and Adolescents

Question 1

Incidence and Types of Childhood Cancers

Answer 1

1. Childhood cancer is a rare disease, but it remains the second leading cause of death in children.
2. Leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer. Tumors involving the brain or central nervous system are the second most common type of childhood cancer.

Question 2

Etiology

Answer 2

1. Most carcinomas are caused by cumulative exposure to carcinogens in the environment. Because children have not lived long enough for the consequence of these exposures to manifest, carcinomas are extremely rare in children.
2. Children with immunodeficiencies are at an increased risk of cancer because of an ineffective immune system.
3. Children with Down syndrome have an increased risk for the development of leukemia.
4. Risk factors that may be associated with the development of childhood cancer include inherited and acquired genetic and genomic changes, nutrition and diet, immune function, occupational exposure, hormonal variations, and viral illnesses, as well as other individual characteristics, such as biologic, social, or physical environments.

Question 3

Prognosis

Answer 3

1. Childhood cancer survivors have a greater risk of developing a second cancer during their lifetime compared with the general population.
2. Reasons for improved survival among children and adolescents with cancer include research aimed at identifying less toxic treatments with fewer long-term side effects.