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Show Vast majority of cancers are treatable in children Children getand recover from minor illnesses so often and quickly, quick-ly, that parents and even physicians somciimes overlook those rare occasions oc-casions when flu-like symptoms or sores are really signs of childhood cancer. Dr. Michael Amylon, associate professor of pediatrics (hematologyoncology) at Stanford Medical Center, notes that about one in 1,000 children will have some form of childhood cancer by age 15. Fortunately, the majority of these cancers are treatable, but as with adult cancers, the odds of stopping the malignancy improve if it is caught quickly. "A persistent cold or other infection infec-tion that lasts significantly longer than a physician had predicted is a sign for concern," said Amylon, "especially, if none of the other family members appear to have the same symptoms." Persistent colds, or recurring infections of any kind, are possible warning signs of a depressed immune system, which in turn might be caused by a childhood leukemia. Another sign, said Amylon, are sores, unusual bleeding such as from the gums when tooth brushing, or lumps or bumps that don't go away quickly. A persistent pain, he said, is another signal that would warrant a call or visit to the child's pediatrician. "Kids are always falling and hurting hur-ting themselves, so there is no need for parents to worry about cancer each time a child falls on the playground and complains of minor injuries or pain. But if sores seem to appear suddenly without cause and then seem slow in healing, it's a good idea to tell your physician," the childhood cancer expert explained. ex-plained. Since many children are treated at clinics or in practices where they may not see the same doctor each time, Amylon urges parents to make a point of telling the physician how long symptoms have persisted and if the child has been seen for the same condition by someone else before. "A respiratory infection that might appear routine to a physician would be viewed with more concern con-cern if the doctor had only known that the patient had been seen by somebody else for the same condition condi-tion a month earlier," Amylon explained. |