The cancer ribbon symbolising childhood cancer awareness is golden in solidarity with children who are going through cancer treatment

Here is some information about childhood cancer that can help you learn more about the cancer scene in Kenya and what Faraja Cancer Support is doing to help ease the burden.

Top line statistics

• Globally, the leading types of childhood cancers are leukaemia and brain tumours.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, the most common types are non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney cancer and bone marrow cancer.
• In Kenya the most common type of childhood cancer is leukaemia followed by retinoblastoma (eye cancer) and Wilms Tumour (kidney cancer).
• The peak age of childhood cancer is between 3 and 7 years old (though children who are much younger can still get cancer

Sadly, only 20% of children with cancer in Kenya survive compared to the 80% who survive in developed countries. This can be attributed to the high cost of medicine, lack of proper community awareness, late diagnosis as well as the lack of specialized training.

Faraja is actively involved in the support of children with cancer in Kenya through our crafts for cure program. Our art and music therapy began in 2015 and involves us visiting the children at paediatric oncology ward at the Kenyatta National Hospital. We started with about 50 children in one ward and now see about 400 children every week from 7 different wards. In 2019, we begun visiting the children at the paediatric ward at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. We also give the children milk and fruit to not only supplement their diet but also give them a sweet treat, especially for those who may not receive regular visitors.

Common signs of childhood cancer

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Difficulty walking
• Blurred/double vision
• Persisteb=nt vomiting
• Dizziness
• Seizures
• Difficulty handling objects
• Lack of appetite
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Bodily swelling

Children tend to present with different types of cancers to adults. The most prevalent cancers in children are:

• Leukemia

This is a malignant disorder of the white blood cells that is caused by an abnormal differentiation of cells in the bone marrow. The accumulation of these cells causes other blood cells to be suppressed, resulting in bone marrow failure.

Symptoms include:

• Joint Pain
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Bleeding
• Fever
• Weightloss
• Bruising
• Brain and spinal cord tumors

Most brain tumors in children start in the lower parts of the brain such as the cerebellum or brain stem.

Symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Difficulty walking
• Blurred/double vision
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Dizziness
• Difficulty handling objects
• Neuroblastoma

This starts in early forms of nerve cells found in a developing embryo or foetus. It develops in infants and young children and is rare in children over 10 years. The tumor can start anywhere, but it usually starts in the abdomen.

Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Bone Pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Weightloss
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal Swelling
• Lack of Appetite
• Swelling of the legs
• Wilms tumor

Also known as nephroblastoma, this is a malignant tumor of the kidney. It is most often found in children about 3 to 4 years old. This tumor usually starts as a swelling or lump in the abdomen. Since the tumor is usually not painful, many children develop very large tumors before they are detected. The disease can occasionally occur in both kidneys. It can also spread to other parts of the body, most commonly the lymph nodes in the abdomen and the lungs.

Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Pain
• Constipation
• Shortness of breath
• Blood in urine
• Lack of Appetite
• High Blood Pressure
• Lymphoma

Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma develops when white blood cells called lymphocytes grow in an uncontrolled way. It is the third most common cancer in children. Different types are often grouped together depending on how they behave. Some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma grow slowly (low-grade lymphomas) and others grow more quickly (high-grade lymphomas). Most non-Hodgkin lymphomas in children are high-grade. Although this might sound alarming, high-grade lymphomas generally respond very well to treatment and are very likely to go into remission (no evidence of lymphoma) with the right treatment.

Symptoms vary depending on where the cancer starts

• Swollen Lymp Nodes
• Bowel Changes
• Swollen Abdomen
• Shortness of Breath
• Persistent Cough
• Fatigue
• Sweats
• Itching
• Rhabdomyosarcoma

This cancer starts in cells that grow into skeletal muscle cells. Skeletal muscles control all of a person’s voluntary muscle movements. The cancer is most common in children under age 10, but it is rare. It can form anywhere in the body.

The most common places are:

• Head and neck, such as near an eye, in the throat, or in the sinuses
• Urinary and reproductive organs, such as the bladder, prostate gland, or any female organs
• Arms and legs
• Chest and belly (abdomen)

Symptoms depend on where the tumor site it. Generally there will be swelling at the site. If the tumor is at the ear, nose, eye or groin, there can be some bleeding in that area.

Some symptoms include:

• Weightloss
• Persistent Cough
• Weakness
• Bone Pain
• Retinoblastoma

This is a malignant tumor of the retina which occurs due to mutations occurring in a retinal cell. It usually occurs in children around the age of 2 and is seldom found in children older than 6. It can be easily detected as the child's eye looks unusual.

• Bone Cancer

Among young patients, the two most common types of bone cancerare Osteosarcma (most commonly found in the bones around the knee), and Ewing’s sarcoma commonly found in the upper leg, pelvis a d other bones in the trunk. They both usually being during the young teenage years, often at the time of a growth spurt.

References

1. Merab E & Lidigu L (2021 February 5). Kenya tops Africa in the cost of treating cancer in children. Nation. Also available at https://nation.africa/kenya/news/kenya-tops-africa-in-cost-of-treating-cancer-in-children-3280346 Wanyonyi S. 8 Facts About Childhood Cancer in Kenya. Available at https://borgenproject.org/childhood-cancer-in-kenya/

2. American Cancer Society. Types of Cancers that Develop in Children. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-in-children/types-of-childhood-cancers.html

3. Lymphoma Action UK https://lymphoma-action.org.uk

4. Stanford Children’s Health https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=rhabdomyosarcoma-90-P02743