About – Childhood Cancer
According to Cancer Research UK:
- Cancer symptoms can be similar to those of other childhood illnesses, and they vary between children.
- Children develop different types of cancers than adults but they often have the same types of treatments.
- Children’s cancer is much less common than adult cancer. It’s very rare.
- In the UK there are around 1,900 new cancer cases in children (aged 0 – 14 years) every year, that’s more than 5 every day (2017-2019). This number includes non cancerous (benign) brain tumours.
Signs and symptoms of childhood cancers
Cancer symptoms can be very similar to those of other childhood illnesses. See your child’s doctor if they have any of the following symptoms.
Remember the symptoms we list here are not usually cancer but don’t be afraid to ask for further tests if you think there is something really wrong with your child.
- they’re unable to wee or have blood in their wee
- an unexplained lump, firmness or swelling anywhere in the body
- tummy pain or swelling that doesn’t go away
- back or bone pain that doesn’t go away, or pain that wakes your child up in the night
- unexplained seizures (fits) or changes in their behaviour and mood
- headaches that don’t go away
- unusual paleness
- feeling tired all the time
- frequent infections or flu-like symptoms
- unexplained vomiting (being sick)
- unexplained high temperature (fever) or sweating
- feeling short of breath
- changes in the appearance of the eye or unusual eye reflections in photos
- frequent or unexplained bruising
- a rash of small red or purple spots that can’t be explained and don’t fade under pressure from the side of a glass. This may be harder to see on black or brown skin.
For more information on childhood cancer visit cancerresearchuk.org