© UNICEF/Maxime Le Lijour。 Nichole was just one year old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Now, she has to flee her home in Ukraine with her family.
On this year's International Day of Childhood Cancer, 15 February, WHO highlights the important role of parents, as well as family doctors and paediatricians, in the early detection of childhood cancer, because no one is more willing to invest in their children's well-being than parents. By knowing the early signs and symptoms of certain cancers and preventing them, parents can save their children's lives.
More than 1,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer every day. Recent medical advances have made the chances of survival very high for children with cancer in high-income countries, with more than 80% of children diagnosed with cancer surviving. However, in some low- and middle-income countries, only about 20% of children diagnosed with cancer survive.
Take, for example, the Eastern Mediterranean region
The latest estimates show that in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, more than 70% of children with diagnosed cancer died in 2022. Unlike adult cancers, the underlying factors that contribute to childhood cancers are poorly understood, and only a small percentage of childhood cancers are preventable. This means that the recovery of these children depends to a large extent on the ability of the health system to ensure timely diagnosis, early referral and the provision of appropriate treatment. Achieving this goal is particularly challenging for many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region facing humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters and political instability.
In 2018, WHO launched the Global Childhood Cancer Initiative. Its main goal is to close the survival gap by 2030 and ensure that at least 60% of children with cancer worldwide survive diagnosis. The Global Childhood Cancer Initiative is a collaboration between WHO and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at the global, regional and country-specific levels.
Common signs of childhood cancer
Parents, GPs and paediatricians play a vital role in the early detection of childhood cancer. It's crucial for parents to be aware of the early signs and symptoms of certain cancers and stay vigilant.
In 2022, leukemia was the most common cancer in children and adolescents aged 0-19 years in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Unexplained high fever is the most common symptom of leukemia. This is also a common symptom of lymphoma.
Retinoblastoma, an eye tumor, is another common childhood cancer. Detecting this tumour at an early stage is essential to prevent blindness. Enlarged eyes are the most common symptom.
Brain tumors are also fairly common in children. Signs and symptoms to watch for include headache, developmental delay, and increased head circumference in infants.
