Timely identification of children with cancer

• Authors: Sven Starke , Axel Weber , Stefan Fest , Lars Fischer , Holger Christiansen
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Background. Cancer in childhood is rare, but nevertheless one of the most frequent causes of disease related death. Initial symptoms are often unspecific, frequently leading to a delay of cancer diagnosis. As a timely diagnosis can be crucial for the clinical outcome, our aim is to point out when unspecific symptoms should be considered suspect of being associated with specific cancer entities. Data sources. A systematic literature research in PubMed and current biliographies, as well as an evaluation of published epidemiologic data was performed. Results. This article reviews the typical presenting features and epidemiologic characteristics of the more common childhood malignancies, elucidates when specific and virtually unspecific symptoms require further evaluation, and gives advice how to start a rational diagnostic workup. Furthermore, genetic syndromes requiring increased watchfulness for cancer in childhood are demonstrated. Conclusion. Patients showing suspect symptoms should early be referred to specialized centres to assure optimal diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.

Keywords

EN

Cancer; Malignancy; Tumor; Children; Childhood; Diagnosis; Delayed detection

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Open Medicine
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 697-706

Dates

published

1 - 12 - 2013

online

6 - 12 - 2013

Contributors

author

Sven Starke

• Dept. of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Hemostaseology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

author

Axel Weber

• Institute of Human Genetics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schlangenzahl 14, D-35392, Giessen, Germany

author

Stefan Fest

• Dept. of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Hemostaseology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

author

Lars Fischer

• Dept. of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Hemostaseology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

author

Holger Christiansen

• Dept. of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Hemostaseology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany

References

• [1] American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2010 [Internet]. 2010; Available from: http://www.cancer.org/Research/CancerFactsFigures/CancerFactsFigures/cancer-facts-and-figures-2010
• [2] Annual Report 2009 of the German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR). [Internet] 2010;1–17. Available from: http://www.kinderkrebsregister.de/external/publications/annual-reports
• [3] Dang-Tan T, Franco EL. Diagnosis delays in childhood cancer. Cancer 2007;110(4):703–713 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.22849[Crossref]
• [4] Gadner H, Gaedicke G, Niemeyer C, Ritter J, editors. Pädiatrische Hämatologie und Onkologie (German Edition). 1st ed. Springer; 2005
• [5] Neville C, Steuber CP, Pappo AS, Kim MS. Clinical assessment of the child with suspected cancer [Internet]. UpToDate; 2006. Available from: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-assessment-of-the-child-with-suspected-cancer
• [6] Jones OY. A Multicenter Case-Control Study on Predictive Factors Distinguishing Childhood Leukemia From Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Pediatrics 2006;117(5):e840–844 http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2005-1515[Crossref]
• [7] Clericuzio CL. Recognition and management of childhood cancer syndromes: a systems approach. American journal of medical genetics 1999;89(2):81–90 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8628(19990625)89:2<81::AID-AJMG5>3.0.CO;2-I[Crossref]
• [8] Freedman AS, Friedberg JW, Aster JC. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma [Internet]. UpToDate; 2012. Available from: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-presentation-and-diagnosis-of-non-hodgkin-lymphoma
• [9] Golden CB, Feusner JH. Malignant abdominal masses in children: quick guide to evaluation and diagnosis. Pediatr. Clin. North Am. 2002;49(6):1369–92, viii http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0031-3955(02)00098-6[Crossref]
• [10] Wilne S, Collier J, Kennedy C, Koller K, Grundy R, Walker D. Presentation of childhood CNS tumours: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The lancet oncology 2007;8(8):685–695 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(07)70207-3[Crossref]
• [11] Stovner LJ, Zwart JA, Hagen K, Terwindt G, Pascual J. Epidemiology of headache in Europe. European journal of neurology 2006;13(4):333–345 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01184.x[Crossref]
• [12] Barea LM, Tannhauser M, Rotta NT. An epidemiologic study of headache among children and adolescents of southern Brazil. Cephalalgia 1996;16(8):545–9; discussion 523 http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1996.1608545.x[Crossref]
• [13] Honig PJ, Charney EB. Children with brain tumor headaches. Distinguishing features. Am. J. Dis. Child. 1982;136(2):121–124 http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1982.03970380033008[Crossref]
• [14] Medina LS, Kuntz KM, Pomeroy S. Children with headache suspected of having a brain tumor: a cost-effectiveness analysis of diagnostic strategies. Pediatrics 2001;108(2):255–263 http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.108.2.255[Crossref]
• [15] Medina LS, Pinter JD, Zurakowski D, Davis RG, Kuban K, Barnes PD. Children with headache: clinical predictors of surgical space-occupying lesions and the role of neuroimaging. Radiology 1997;202(3):819–824 [PubMed][Crossref]
• [16] Lewis DW, Ashwal S, Dahl G, Dorbad D, Hirtz D, Prensky A, et al. Practice parameter: evaluation of children and adolescents with recurrent headaches: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology 2002;59(4):490–498 http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.59.4.490[Crossref]
• [17] Bourdeaut F, de Carli E, Timsit S, Coze C, Chastagner P, Sarnacki S, et al. VIP hypersecretion as primary or secondary syndrome in neuroblastoma: A retrospective study by the Société Française des Cancers de l’Enfant (SFCE). Pediatr. Blood Cancer 2009;52(5):585–590 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pbc.21912[Crossref][WoS]
• [18] Rahhal RM, Eddine AC, Bishop WP. A Child with an Abdominal Mass. Hospital Physician 2006;42(2):37
• [19] Farmer DL. Urinary tract masses. Semin. Pediatr. Surg. 2000;9(3):109–114 http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/spsu.2000.7558[Crossref]
• [20] Glick RD, Hicks MJ, Nuchtern JG, Wesson DE, Olutoye OO, Cass DL. Renal tumors in infants less than 6 months of age. J Pediatr Surg 2004;39(4):522–525 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2003.12.007[Crossref]
• [21] Loeb DM, Hill DA, Dome JS. Complete Response of Recurrent Cellular Congenital Mesoblastic Nephroma to Chemotherapy. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology 2002;24(6):478 http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00043426-200208000-00014[Crossref]
• [22] Gutjahr P. Krebs bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Deutscher Ärzteverlag; 2004
• [23] Litten JB, Tomlinson GE. Liver tumors in children. Oncologist 2008;13(7):812–820 http://dx.doi.org/10.1634/theoncologist.2008-0011[WoS][Crossref]
• [24] Young G, Toretsky JA, Campbell AB, Eskenazi AE. Recognition of common childhood malignancies. Am Fam Physician 2000;61(7):2144–2154 [PubMed]
• [25] Jaggers J, Balsara K. Mediastinal masses in children. Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2004;16(3):201–208 http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.semtcvs.2004.08.005[Crossref]
• [26] Williams H, Alton H. Imaging of paediatric mediastinal abnormalities. Paediatric respiratory reviews 2003;4(1):55–66 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1526-0542(02)00310-X[Crossref]
• [27] Schneider DT, Calaminus G, Koch S, Teske C, Schmidt P, Haas RJ, et al. Epidemiologic analysis of 1,442 children and adolescents registered in the German germ cell tumor protocols. Pediatr. Blood Cancer 2004;42(2):169–175 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pbc.10321[Crossref]
• [28] De Backer A, Madern GC, Pieters R, Haentjens P, Hakvoort-Cammel FGAJ, Oosterhuis JW, et al. Influence of tumor site and histology on long-term survival in 193 children with extracranial germ cell tumors. Eur J Pediatr Surg 2008;18(1):1–6 http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-989399[Crossref][WoS]
• [29] Thind CR, Carty HM, Pilling DW. The role of ultrasound in the management of ovarian masses in children. Clin Radiol 1989;40(2):180–182 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0009-9260(89)80085-6[Crossref]
• [30] Calaminus G, Bamberg M, Harms D, Jürgens H, Kortmann RD, Sörensen N, et al. AFP/beta-HCG secreting CNS germ cell tumors: long-term outcome with respect to initial symptoms and primary tumor resection. Results of the cooperative trial MAKEI 89. Neuropediatrics 2005;36(2):71–77 http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2005-837582[Crossref]
• [31] Widhe B, Widhe T. Initial Symptoms and Clinical Features in Osteosarcoma and Ewing Sarcoma*. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) 2000;82(5):667–667
• [32] Wallendal M, Stork L, Hollister JR. The discriminating value of serum lactate dehydrogenase levels in children with malignant neoplasms presenting as joint pain. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1996;150(1):70–73 http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1996.02170260074012[Crossref]
• [33] Cabral DA, Tucker LB. Malignancies in children who initially present with rheumatic complaints. The Journal of pediatrics 1999;134(1):53–57 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(99)70372-0[Crossref]
• [34] Ullrich NJ. Inherited disorders as a risk factor and predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome in pediatric cancer. Dev Disabil Res Revs 2008;14(3):229–237 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ddrr.30[Crossref]
• [35] Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, OMIM® [Internet]. McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD), 2012; Available from: http://omim.org

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/s11536-013-0226-x