Cancer Growth in Young Children

Cancers that affect people from birth to the age of 14 are considered childhood cancers. Childhood cancers are the least preventable type of cancer because they are caused by changes, or mutations, in the child’s genes early on in life, and sometimes before birth. 

How do changes in genes lead to cancer?

The most common DNA change that leads to cancer is an acquired mutation. These occur when the body makes a mistake in the process of creating a copy of DNA when duplicating cells, which is common early on in life when kids are growing quickly. These acquired mutations are only in the person’s cells and will not be passed down to their children. Inherited mutations account for a very small percentage of childhood cancers and while they are not uncommon, they are more unlikely than an acquired mutation.

What are some risk factors?

While there are many risk factors for cancer, most childhood cancers are caused by acquired mutations so it’s hard to associate genetic changes with day to day exposures. Some factors that are believed to increase the risk include radiation exposure and secondhand smoke. However these are more risk factors that will increase your risk of cancer later on in life. The most common risk factor to childhood cancer are inherited genetic syndromes, such as down syndrome.

What are some common types of childhood cancer?

The most common type of cancer in children is leukemia. It’s an “acute” cancer, which means it grows quickly and thus must be treated immediately. The second most common are brain and spinal cord tumors. While there are different treatments for each type of tumor, it usually starts in the lower part of the brain or in the brain stem in children. Bone cancer is also not uncommon in children, however it is predominantly considered an adolescent cancer (cancer in ages 14 through early adults). The most common bone cancer is osteosarcoma, which often causes pain or swelling in the arms, legs, and pelvis.  

How can you reduce the risk of cancer later in life?

The best thing to reduce the risk of cancer later in life is for parents and caregivers to instill healthy habits to support long term health. The most important way to reduce the risk of cancer is by not smoking, and limiting your interactions with people that do smoke. Not only does smoking increase the risk of lung cancer, it also heavily increases the risk of many other cancers. Another thing you can do is maintain a healthy weight by combining physical activity and eating a healthy, balanced diet. Finally, staying up to date on vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) can reduce the risk of cervical, mouth, and throat cancer. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, doing the above will significantly reduce the risk of cancer later on in life. 

Here are the sources I used! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the forum!

Sources:

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/childhood-cancer.html

https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/child-adolescent-cancers-fact-sheet