pediatric cancer basics

Question 1

children more commonly have cancer in what systems?

Answer 1

-blood
-brain
-bone
-lymph

Question 2

adults more commonly have cancer in what systems?

Answer 2

-lung
-liver
-colon
-breast

Question 3

do children respond better or worse than adults to cancer treatments?

Answer 3

better

Question 4

why is cancer in children thought to spread faster?

Answer 4

cells proliferate at a faster rate

Question 5

forms of cancer treatment

Answer 5

-surgery
-chemotherapy
-radiation
-immunotherapy

Question 6

leukocytosis

Answer 6

significant increase in WBCs

Question 7

polycythemia

Answer 7

significant increase in RBCs

Question 8

blast cells

Answer 8

immature white cells found in the bone marrow

Question 9

thrombocytopenia

Answer 9

decreased platelet count of less than 50,000

Question 10

absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

Answer 10

a measure of the body’s ability to fight infection that uses the mature and immature neutrophils as an index

Question 11

neutropenia

Answer 11

absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 1500/mcl

Question 12

warnings signs of cancer in children related to physiologic changes

Answer 12

-anemia
-fatigue
-activity intolerance
-pallor
-petecchiae
-lethargy
-infection
-bruising
-cachexia
-pain
-swelling
-palpable mass
-swelling
-neurologic symptoms
-abdominal discomfort