Warning Signs Of Childhood Cancers

Unusual Lump Of Swelling

A child with a malignant tumor may present with an unusual lump or swelling on a specific part of their body. The most common type of cancer that develops in children that causes an abnormal lump or swelling is referred to as soft tissue sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcoma in a child will present as a lump that does not usually cause any pain or physical discomfort. A painless lump in the limb of a child may be indicative of a bone tumor, skeletal muscle tumor, peripheral nervous system tumor, or blood vessel tumor. A painless abnormal lump in the abdomen or pelvis of a child can be indicative of a fat tissue tumor, fibrous tissue tumor, smooth muscle tumor, perivascular tumor, or blood vessel tumor. It is more common for a child with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, retinoblastoma 1 gene changes, neurofibromatosis type 1, familial adenomatous polyposis, SMARDCB gene changes, and Werner syndrome to be affected by a soft tissue sarcoma.

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Unexplained Weight Loss

A child who is affected by cancer may experience unexplained weight loss that does not improve no matter what food they consume. Cancerous cells have the same needs of healthy cells in terms of glucose and other nutrients required for the production of ATP or useable cellular energy. However, cancerous cells consume these nutrients more rapidly than healthy cells do. A child will experience a decrease in their total body mass when their energy balance shifts from a positive or neutral energy balance to a negative energy balance. A negative energy balance means an individual is burning the calories and other nutrients obtained from their diet at a faster rate than they are replacing them. Cancerous cells in the body of a child will steal away essential nutrients as long as they are living in the body, taking away from the nutrients healthy cells can use. Weight loss also occurs as a result of the affected individual's body utilizing fats for the production of useable cellular energy because no glucose is immediately available.

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