The body is made up of hundreds of millions of living cells. Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. During the early years of a person’s life, normal cells divide faster to allow the person to grow. After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells or to repair injuries. Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cell (American Cancer Society, 2010).
About 10,730 children in the United States under the age of 15 were diagnosed with cancer in 2009 (American Cancer Society, 2010). Because of the major treatments advances, 80% of these children will survive five years or more. This is a huge increase from before the 1970s, when the five year survival rate was less than 50%. Despite the advances in treatments and supportive care, cancer is still the leading cause of death from disease in children younger than five years old. About 1,380 children are expected to have died from cancer in 2009 (American Cancer Society, 2010).
The types of cancers that occur in children vary greatly from those seen in adults. The most common cancers of children are leukemia’s, brain and other nervous system tumors, lymphomas, bone cancers, soft tissue sarcomas, kidney cancers, and eye cancers. Leukemia’s are the most common childhood cancers. They account for about 33% of all childhood cancers. Acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia are the most common types of leukemia in children. Brain and nervous system cancers are the second most common cancers in children, making up about 21% of childhood cancers.
Most brain cancers of children involve the cerebellum or brain stem. Neuroblastoma is a form of cancer that starts in certain types of nerve cells found in a developing embryo or fetus. This type occurs in infants and young children. It is most often found during the first year of life. It is rarely found in children older than 10. This type of cancer accounts for about 7% of childhood cancers. Wilms tumor is a cancer that starts in one, or rarely, both kidneys. It is most often found in children about three years old, and is uncommon in children older than six. It can show up as a swelling or lump in the belly.
This type of cancer accounts for about 5% of childhood cancers (American Cancer Society, 2010). Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma are cancers that start in the lymph tissues, such as the tonsils, lymph nodes, and thymus. These cancers may spread to bone marrow and other organs, which can cause different symptoms depending on where it is growing. Hodgkin’s lymphoma can occur in both children and adults, and accounts for about 4% of childhood cancers. It is more common, though, in two age groups: early adulthood (age 15-40, usually people in their 20s) and late adulthood (after 55).
Hodgkin lymphoma is rare in children younger than five years of age. About 10% to 15% of cases are diagnosed in children and teenagers. About 81 out of 100 people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are alive one year after the disease is diagnosed. About 63 out of 100 people with the disease are alive at five years, and 49 out of 100 at 10 years (Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, 2005-2010). Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. It makes up a little more than 3% of childhood cancers. Retinblastoma is a cancer of the eye. It is rare, accounting for just under 3% of childhood cancers.
It usually occurs in children under the age of four, and is seldom found in children older than six (American Cancer Society, 2010). Primary bone cancers occur most often in children and adolescents. Primary bone cancer is different from metastatic bone cancer, which is cancer that has spread from another site to the bone. Metastatic bone cancer is more common than primary bone cancer because many types of cancer can spread to the bone. The two types of primary bone cancers that occur in children are: osteosarcoma is uncommon, accounting for almost 3% of all new childhood cancer cases in the United States.
The second type is Ewing sarcoma which is a less common primary bone cancer which can cause bone pain. It is mostly found in adolescents. It accounts for a little more than 1% of childhood cancers (American Cancer Society, 2010). The risk factor and causes of childhood cancer is anything that changes your chances of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Lifestyle-related risks are thought to be the main factors that affect cancer risk in adults. Lifestyle-related risk factors have little or no affect on childhood cancer.
Preventing childhood cancer is the same as the risk factors for childhood cancer there is no one thing that can be the main cause of childhood cancer. Unlike many cancers of adults, there are no avoidable risk factors that are known to influence your child’s risk of developing cancer (American Cancer Society, 2010). Finding childhood cancer in children is often hard to recognize early. Parents should be sure that their children have regular medical check-up and watch for any unusual signs or symptoms that do not go away.
Some of these signs and symptoms are: an unusual lump or swelling, unexplained paleness and loss of energy, easy bruising, an ongoing pain in one area of the body, limping, unexplained fever or illness that does not go away, frequent headaches often with vomiting, sudden ye or vision changes, and sudden unexplained weight loss ( American Cancer Society, 2010). Although many adults cancers can be prevented by lifestyle changes that reduce certain risk factors, at this time there is no known way to prevent most childhood cancers. Childhood cancers can be treated with a combination of treatments they are chosen by the type of cancer it is.
The types of treatments are: chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation therapy. The types of cancers that develop in children are very different from the types that develop in adults. Although there are exceptions, childhood cancers tend to respond better to chemotherapy better than adults (American Cancer Society, 2010). An educational and supportive program that I found to be one that could be a lot of help to families dealing with childhood cancers was Candle lighters. Candle lighters are the only program in Austin, Texas offering a broad spectrum of outpatient services to families dealing with childhood cancer.
Some of the programs available to families dealing with childhood cancer are: comprehensive case management, counseling and crisis intervention, educational support groups, school advocacy and family events (Any Baby Can Child and Family resource center, 2010). Candle lighters/Austin Area was founded in 1998 as a parent-driven nonprofit organization. Candle lighters merged with Any Baby can of Austin in October of 2003. The information that they have on the website is available for anyone who may want to read the information about childhood cancers and the affects of these types of cancers.
Candle lighters information about childhood cancer is helpful, supportive, as well as hopeful to anyone who is facing or dealing the affects of childhood cancer. The only thing that stood out to me on the website was the purpose the support programs as well as educational program was started. Parents that have felt the effects of childhood cancer or are there just to support the children and the parents of the children as they go through a journey that is not a good journey to be taking in life (Any Baby Can Child and Family resource center, 2010).
The new features that I would add to the candle lighters program is to add a place on the website where children with cancer have a way to talk to other children that are going through the same things they are going through. They could add a link on their website so that children in the hospital can talk to other children going through the affects of cancer that way they can support each other as well has having the other people in their lives that already are there to support them and give them all the love they can give to the children.
A way that the candle lighters could reach many more people is to have commercials on T. V that tells other that may not know about their programs and way that can help and support the children and their families with their hard times they are going through. When I was looking at the candle lighters website I came across a quote that touched my soul when I read it and I knew it would be a perfect way to end my paper because it says it all in a quote. “When you stand in the middle of sadness and sorrow, with only one candle lit, it is hard to see the light and the candle easily goes out.
But with many candles lit, standing together, one cannot help but to see the light and feel the warmth of love” (Taylor, 1997).
References American Cancer Society. (2010). All about Cancer in Children. Retrieved from http://www. cancer. org Any Baby Can Child and Family Resource Center. (2010). Candle lighters/childhood cancer. Retrieved from http://www. abcaus. org/candlelighters. asp (2005-2010). Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Retrieved from http://www. webmd. com.
Mwili wa binadamu umefanyizwa na mamia ya mamilioni ya chembe za uhai. Chembe za kawaida za mwili hukua, kugawanyika, na kufa kwa utaratibu. Katika miaka ya mapema ya maisha ya mtu, chembe za kawaida hugawanyika haraka ili kumruhusu mtu akue. Baada ya mtu kuwa mtu mzima, chembe nyingi hugawanyika tu ili kuchukua mahali pa chembe zilizoharibika au zinazokufa au kurekebisha majeraha. Saratani huanza wakati chembe katika sehemu fulani ya mwili zinapoanza kukua bila kudhibitiwa. Kuna aina nyingi za kansa, lakini zote huanza kwa sababu ya ukuaji usio na udhibiti wa seli isiyo ya kawaida (American Cancer Society, 2010). Watoto 10,730 chini ya umri wa miaka 15 walipatikana na saratani nchini Marekani mwaka wa 2009. Kwa sababu ya maendeleo makubwa ya matibabu, 80% ya watoto hawa wataishi miaka mitano au zaidi. Hii ni ongezeko kubwa ikilinganishwa na miaka ya 1970 wakati kiwango cha kuishi kwa miaka mitano kilikuwa chini ya 50%. Licha ya maendeleo katika matibabu na huduma za kusaidia, kansa bado ni sababu kuu ya kifo kutokana na ugonjwa kwa watoto chini ya umri wa miaka mitano. Watoto wapatao 1380 walifariki kutokana na saratani mwaka 2009 Aina za kansa zinazotokea kwa watoto hutofautiana sana na zile zinazoonekana kwa watu wazima. Saratani za kawaida za watoto ni leukemia, uvimbe wa ubongo na mfumo mwingine wa neva, lymphomas, sarcomas za mifupa, sarcomas za tishu laini, sarcomas za figo, na sarcomas za jicho. Leukemia ni aina ya kansa ya kawaida ya utotoni. Ni asilimia 33 ya saratani zote za utotoni. Leukemia kali ya lymphocytic na leukemia kali ya myelogenous ni aina za kawaida za leukemia kwa watoto. Saratani ya ubongo na mfumo wa neva ni saratani ya pili kwa kawaida kwa watoto, na ni asilimia 21 ya saratani za utotoni. Saratani nyingi za ubongo za watoto huhusisha ubongo mdogo au shina la ubongo. Neuroblastoma ni aina ya kansa ambayo huanza katika aina fulani za chembe za neva zinazopatikana katika kiinitete au kiinitete kinachoendelea. Aina hii hutokea kwa watoto wachanga na watoto wadogo. Mara nyingi hupatikana katika mwaka wa kwanza wa maisha. Ni nadra sana kupatikana kwa watoto wenye umri wa zaidi ya miaka 10. Aina hii ya kansa huwakilisha asilimia saba ya saratani za utotoni. Uvimbe wa Wilms ni kansa inayoanza katika figo moja, au mara chache, figo zote mbili. Mara nyingi hupatikana kwa watoto wenye umri wa miaka mitatu hivi, na si ya kawaida kwa watoto wenye umri wa zaidi ya miaka sita. Inaweza kuonekana kama uvimbe au kiwambo tumboni. Aina hii ya kansa huwakilisha asilimia 5 ya saratani za utotoni (American Cancer Society, 2010). Non-Hodgkin lymphoma ni aina ya kansa ambayo huanzia kwenye tishu za limfu, kama vile tonsils, lymph nodes, na thymus. Saratani hii inaweza kuenea kwenye uti wa mgongo na viungo vingine, na inaweza kusababisha dalili tofauti kulingana na mahali inapokua. Hodgkin lymphoma ni ugonjwa wa kansa ya watoto na watu wazima ambao huathiri asilimia 4 ya watoto. Ugonjwa huu ni wa kawaida katika makundi mawili ya umri: mapema ya watu wazima (miaka 15-40, kwa kawaida watu katika miaka yao ya 20) na marehemu ya watu wazima (baada ya miaka 55). Hodgkin lymphoma ni nadra kwa watoto wenye umri wa chini ya miaka mitano. Karibu asilimia 10 hadi 15 ya wagonjwa hupatikana katika watoto na vijana. Watu 81 kati ya 100 waliogunduliwa kuwa na ugonjwa wa non-Hodgkin lymphoma wanaishi mwaka mmoja baada ya kuugunduliwa. Watu 63 kati ya 100 wanaishi baada ya miaka mitano na 49 kati ya 100 baada ya miaka 10 (Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, 2005-2010). Rhabdomyosarcoma ni sarcoma ya tishu laini inayojulikana zaidi kwa watoto. Ni zaidi ya asilimia 3 ya saratani za utotoni. Retinblastoma ni kansa ya jicho. Ni nadra sana, na huwakilisha chini ya asilimia 3 ya saratani za utotoni. Kwa kawaida huonekana kwa watoto chini ya umri wa miaka minne, na mara chache hupatikana kwa watoto zaidi ya miaka sita (American Cancer Society, 2010). Saratani ya mifupa ya msingi hutokea mara nyingi zaidi kwa watoto na matineja. Saratani ya mifupa ya msingi ni tofauti na saratani ya mifupa ya metastatic, ambayo ni saratani ambayo imeenea kutoka eneo lingine hadi mfupa. Saratani ya mifupa ya metastatic ni ya kawaida zaidi kuliko kansa ya mifupa ya msingi kwa sababu aina nyingi za kansa zinaweza kuenea kwenye mifupa. Aina mbili za saratani ya mifupa ya msingi ambayo hutokea kwa watoto ni: osteosarcoma ni nadra, na inawakilisha karibu 3% ya visa vyote vipya vya saratani ya utotoni nchini Marekani. Aina ya pili ni sarcoma ya Ewing ambayo ni kansa ya mifupa ya msingi isiyo ya kawaida ambayo inaweza kusababisha maumivu ya mifupa. Hasa hupatikana katika matineja. Ni moja ya sababu za asilimia 1 ya saratani ya utotoni (American Cancer Society, 2010). Sababu za hatari za saratani ya utotoni ni vitu vinavyobadilisha uwezekano wa kupata ugonjwa kama vile saratani. Aina tofauti za kansa zina mambo tofauti ya hatari. Hatari zinazohusiana na mtindo wa maisha hufikiriwa kuwa sababu kuu zinazoathiri hatari ya kansa kwa watu wazima. Mambo ya hatari yanayohusiana na mtindo-maisha yana athari ndogo au hayana athari yoyote juu ya kansa ya utotoni. Kuzuia saratani ya utotoni ni muhimu kwa sababu hakuna sababu ya msingi ya saratani ya utotoni. Tofauti na saratani nyingi za watu wazima, hakuna sababu za hatari zinazoweza kuepukwa ambazo zinajulikana kuathiri hatari ya mtoto wako ya kupata saratani (American Cancer Society, 2010). Mara nyingi ni vigumu kutambua mapema kansa ya utotoni kwa watoto. Wazazi wanapaswa kuwa na uhakika kwamba watoto wao hupitia uchunguzi wa daktari kwa ukawaida na kuangalia ishara au dalili zozote zisizo za kawaida ambazo hazitoweki. Baadhi ya dalili hizi ni: kibofu cha kawaida au uvimbe, upungufu wa macho na kupoteza nguvu, kuvuja kwa urahisi, maumivu ya kuendelea katika eneo moja la mwili, kukosa, homa isiyoelezeka au ugonjwa ambao haupotezi, maumivu ya kichwa ya mara kwa mara na kutapika, mabadiliko ya ghafla ya macho, na kupoteza uzito wa ghafla bila sababu (American Cancer Society, 2010). Ingawa saratani nyingi za watu wazima zinaweza kuzuiwa kwa mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha ambayo hupunguza sababu fulani za hatari, kwa sasa hakuna njia inayojulikana ya kuzuia saratani nyingi za utotoni. Saratani ya utotoni inaweza kutibiwa kwa mchanganyiko wa matibabu, ambayo huchaguliwa kulingana na aina ya saratani. Aina za matibabu ni: tiba ya kemikali, upasuaji, na/au tiba ya mnururisho. Aina za kansa zinazotokea kwa watoto ni tofauti sana na zile zinazotokea kwa watu wazima. Hata hivyo, kuna uwezekano wa kuwa na kansa ya utotoni ambayo huweza kuathiri watu wazima kwa njia ya kemikali (American Cancer Society, 2010). Programu ya elimu na msaada ambayo niligundua kuwa moja ambayo inaweza kuwa na msaada mwingi kwa familia zinazoshughulika na saratani za utotoni ilikuwa Vipazaji vya Shanga. Shirika la Candle Lighters ni shirika pekee la afya nchini Texas ambalo linatoa huduma mbalimbali kwa familia zinazokabiliwa na saratani ya utotoni. Programu za matibabu ya saratani ya utotoni ni pamoja na: usimamizi wa kesi, ushauri na uingiliaji wa mgogoro, vikundi vya msaada wa elimu, utetezi wa shule na matukio ya familia (Any Baby Can, Kituo cha Rasilimali cha Mtoto na Familia, 2010). Shirika la Candle Lighters (Austin Area) ni shirika la kimataifa linaloendeshwa na wazazi. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Candle Lighters"" ilijiunga na ""Any Baby Can"" ya Austin mnamo Oktoba 2003."" Habari zilizopo kwenye tovuti hii zinapatikana kwa kila mtu ambaye anaweza kutaka kusoma habari kuhusu saratani za utotoni na athari za aina hizi za saratani. Habari kuhusu saratani ya utotoni ni muhimu, inasaidia, na pia ina matumaini kwa mtu yeyote anayekabiliwa au kushughulika na athari za saratani ya utotoni. Jambo pekee ambalo lilinijenga kwenye tovuti hiyo ni kusudi la programu za msaada na programu ya elimu ilianzishwa. "Wazazi ambao wamehisi athari za saratani ya utotoni au wapo tu kusaidia watoto na wazazi wa watoto wanapopita katika safari ambayo sio safari nzuri ya kuchukua katika maisha (Any Baby Can, Kituo cha Rasilimali cha Mtoto na Familia, 2010).""" "Kama sehemu ya mpango wa ""Candle Lighters,"" watoto wenye kansa wanaweza kuwasiliana na watoto wengine wanaopitia mambo yaleyale." "Wanaweza kuongeza kiungo kwenye tovuti yao ili watoto katika hospitali waweze kuzungumza na watoto wengine wanaopitia athari za saratani, kwa njia hiyo wanaweza kuunga mkono kila mmoja na kuwa na watu wengine katika maisha yao ambao tayari wapo kuwaunga mkono na kuwapa upendo wote wanaoweza kuwapa watoto.""" Njia moja ambayo wawasilishaji wa mishumaa wanaweza kufikia watu wengi zaidi ni kuwa na matangazo ya biashara kwenye TV ambayo yanawaambia wengine ambao wanaweza kuwa hawajui juu ya programu zao na njia ambayo inaweza kusaidia na kusaidia watoto na familia zao na nyakati zao ngumu wanazopitia. Nilipokuwa nikitazama tovuti ya Candle Lighters nilipata nukuu ambayo iligusa roho yangu wakati niliisoma na nilijua itakuwa njia kamili ya kumaliza karatasi yangu kwa sababu inasema yote katika nukuu. <unk>Unaposimama katikati ya huzuni na huzuni, na mshumaa mmoja tu uliowaka, ni vigumu kuona mwanga na mshumaa huzimika kwa urahisi. Lakini na mishumaa mingi iliyowaka, ikisimama pamoja, mtu hawezi kusaidia lakini kuona mwanga na kuhisi joto la upendo <unk> (Taylor, 1997). Marejeo ya Shirika la Kansa la Marekani. (2010). Yote kuhusu kansa kwa watoto. Imechukuliwa kutoka http: www. kansa ya ngozi. Any Baby Can Child and Family Resource Center. (2010). Vipaza-mwanga vya mshumaa na saratani ya utotoni Imechukuliwa kutoka http: www. abcaus. "Candlelighters""" (Asp 2005) Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Imechukuliwa kutoka http: www. webmd. com.