When it comes to childhood cancer, the good news is that it is rare. But cancer is second only to accidents as a cause of death in children.
Jeffrey Taub, M.D., division chief of Oncology on staff at Children's Hospital of Michigan at the Detroit Medical Center, says sometimes children with cancer do not show any symptoms, but it's important for parents to be aware of medical conditions
that should warrant a visit with the child's physician. As a childhood lymphoma survivor treated at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Dr. Taub is one of the success stories who benefited from the expertise at Children’s Hospital of
Michigan.
An easy way to remember cancer symptoms uses the acronym childcancer. Symptoms include:
Continued, unexplained weight loss
Headaches, often with early morning vomiting
Increased swelling or persistent pain in the bones, joints, back, or legs
Lump or mass, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest,
pelvis, or armpits
Development of excessive bruising, bleeding, or rash
Constant, frequent, or persistent infections
A whitish color behind the pupil
Nausea that persists or vomiting without nausea
Constant tiredness or noticeable paleness
Eye or vision changes that
occur suddenly and persist
Recurring or persistent fevers of unknown origin
Dr. Taub says if tests do show a child has cancer, there are many advances that have led to high cure rates. " We’ve treated so many children with cancer over the years and our survivorship rates are excellent, with some cure rates reaching at least 90 percent for certain cancers."
The Pediatric Oncology Program at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan is recognized as one of the top pediatric cancer programs in the nation. No other hospital in Metropolitan Detroit treats more children with cancer than the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. The Available at the hospital are a multidisciplinary team of specialists on staff including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, Child Life specialists and researchers.
