You are a Parent or Carers

Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery all have various effects on the body. The severity of these side effects depends on various factors such as  the type and location of the cancer, the intensity of the treatment and the child's age. 

Symptoms are what the patient experiences and signs are what the healthcare professional sees.

Different countries, organisations and institutions unpack the early warning signs of childhood cancer in different ways so that people can understand  it.

Childhood cancer myths and beliefs are prevalent globally, often leading to fear, stigma, and delayed treatment. Common misconceptions include  that childhood cancer is contagious, that children don't get cancer, and that childhood cancer is a death sentence.

Whilst cancer in children is a treatable disease and up to 70% of children can be cured, it remains a complex disease. Treating childhood cancer can  be an extremely difficult and trying process, both for the child and the parents.

Worldwide leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for about one third of all cases.

There is a lack of knowledge of the early warning signs of childhood cancer. In certain countries there is nothing in the basic or post basic training  of nurses on paediatric oncology.

Childhood cancers usually occur in organs, because they mimic the dividing (primitive) cells of early foetal development. This rapid cell division means  that childhood cancer responds well to treatment. Carcinomas are rare in children as they take many years to develop and are more evident in adults.

The organs and tissues of the body are made up of tiny building blocks called cells. Cancer is a disease of these cells. Normally cells grow in an orderly  and controlled fashion.