Most Common Cancers in Indian Children

Cancer is a leading health concern across the globe. In the Indian context, while older adults are still at a higher risk, children are also facing significant threats of developing cancer. Approximately 50,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in India. This means at least one child is diagnosed every 11 minutes.

Are you curious to know more about childhood cancers? This article will discuss some of the most prevalent cancer types in Indian children.

According to a grave prediction from Lancet Oncology Commission, in 2020, nearly 13.7 million children will be diagnosed with cancer through the next 30 years. Currently, 80% of Indian children lack proper cancer treatment because of the high expenses.

You must be curious to know which type of childhood cancer is most common in India. So, here is a list of some common childhood cancers in India.

1. Leukaemia

Blood cancer or leukaemia starts from the blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. It mainly attacks the white blood cells, which are essential for your body to fight against germs and infections. People who have this cancer generate excessive WBC, which does not function properly. Some of the common symptoms are as follows.

• Persistent weakness
• Fever or chills
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Drastic weight loss
• Easy bleeding and bruising
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Tiny red spots on your skin
• Bone and muscle pain
• Excessive sweating

Health researchers are not specific about the causes of this cancer. It mainly starts growing as blood cells develop mutations. Genetic disorders and previous cancer treatments in individuals increase the risks of this condition. Moreover, individuals addicted to smoking or exposed to chemicals like benzene can also be at higher risk. Unfortunately, there is hardly any way of preventing leukaemia. It has a survival rate of 10%-20%.

According to an estimation from GLOBOCON, among 25,000 children diagnosed with cancer in India, 9,000 are likely to suffer from leukaemia. It makes leukaemia the most common type of childhood cancer in India. Most leukaemia cases are seen in Indian kids and teens up to 19 years of age.

2. Brain Tumour

A brain tumour is the growth of abnormal cells in the brain. While some brain tumours can be benign (non-cancerous), most of these are malignant and can result in childhood cancer in India. It starts growing around the brain or tissues such as brain-covering membranes (meninges), pituitary gland, cranial nerves, or pineal gland. This cancer might develop when the cells around your brain develop a mutation. The following list discusses its symptoms.

• Severe or mild headaches
• Vision problems
• Nausea or vomiting
• Gradual loss of sensation
• Weakness
• Difficulty with balance
• Confusion
• Inability to follow instructions
• Personality or behaviour change
• Seizures and hearing problems 

People exposed to radiation and had a family history of brain tumours are at higher risks of developing this cancer. As of now, there are no specific ways of preventing this condition. However, one can reduce the risks by avoiding exposure to active or passive smoke and radiation therapy.

Cancer arising from brain tumour has a survival rate of 80%-60%. There were about 28,000 cases in India, according to an International Association of Cancer Registries (IARC) estimation, causing nearly 24,000 deaths. According to an article by the Hindu, brain tumours among children contribute to 20% of the overall cases in India. This means almost 2,500 Indian children suffer from brain tumours every year in India, as per current data.

3. Lymphoma

If you are wondering what the common childhood cancers in India are, lymphoma is one of them. Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts developing in the immune system's infection-fighting cells, called lymphocytes. These cells are commonly found in the spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, bone marrow, and other body parts. People face abnormal growth of lymphocytes as a patient of this cancer. Some of the common symptoms are as follows.

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Itching
• Night sweat 

Medical researchers are yet to discover the specific causes behind lymphoma. However, children with a weak immune system who have HIV/AIDS or recovering from organ transplants are at higher risk of developing this cancer. Furthermore, they might produce this cancer if they deal with immunity-related diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or celiac disease.

Lymphoma has a survival rate of 85%-90%. In India, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) incidence rate in men and women is 2.9 per 1,00,000 men and 1.5 per 1,00,000 women. According to recent data, Chennai had the highest cases, with nearly 24 cases per million children between 2012 and 2016.

4. Wilms Tumour

It is a rare type of kidney cancer found in children. It can affect either one or both the kidneys. Thus, commonly, the cells and tissues around the kidneys are affected. There are no specific cases of his condition, but errors in the DNA of these cells are likely to cause this cancer. The error enables cells to grow abnormally and spread across the body. Some common symptoms are as follows.

• Abdominal swelling and pain
• Fever
• Blood in urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Shortness of breath
• High blood pressure

Children with a previous family history of this cancer are at higher risk of developing this cancer. Moreover, certain syndromes among children since birth, such as aniridia and hemihypertrophy, can also contribute to this condition. Unfortunately, there are hardly any ways of preventing this cancer. However, the doctors often suggest periodic kidney ultrasounds to check for abnormalities in the kidney.

According to a recent study, Wilms tumour contributes to 3.5% of approximately 800 new paediatric cancers registered every year in India. It has a survival rate of 95%-100%. The general incidence of this cancer is about 0.8 cases per 1,00,000 Indian citizens. However, the survival rate of this cancer among Indian children is gradually increasing.

It is often difficult to predict or prevent developing cancer in individuals. However, parents can encourage the following steps to reduce cancer risks among their children.

• Quit smoking and try to prevent people from smoking around your kids.
• Protect your kids from direct sun exposure using sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and full sleeves.
• Develop a healthy and balanced diet for them with sufficient fruits and vegetables.
• Indulge in daily exercises with them.
• Avoid infections in your kid, or try to treat them instantly.

Therefore, as you can see, childhood cancers are significant sources of concern. Cancer is one of the most dreaded medical conditions across the globe. Moreover, children usually have lower immunity and ability to endure than adults. Therefore, it is essential to try and avoid developing cancer at a young age.