Childhood Cancers Tests and Diagnosis

  • Childhood Cancers
    Childhood cancer cancers, also called Pediatric cancers are cancers that affect children from the birth to adolescence.  Most of these cancers are quite rare and behave differently than they do in adults. According to the WHO,  approximately 400,000 children (aged 0-19 years) are diagnosed with cancer every single year. 
Submitted by Dr S. Patel on 9 August 2021

Tests for Childhood Cancers/ Pediatric Cancers

Tests will depend on the symptoms and signs observed on physical examination. Further diagnostic workup will be prescribed accordingly. Each childhood cancer and their respective test have been listed below.

Cancer Type

Tests

Lymphoma

CBC, Chest X-ray, Biopsy of the lump, Bone marrow aspiration, CT scan

Leukemia

Thorough physical exam of liver, spleen and lymph nodes, CBC with differentials, Bone marrow test.

Neuroblastoma

Blood/Urine test for vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA), lump examination, Ultrasound, CT scans of head/chest/abdomen, CBC, Liver & Kidney function tests, mIBG scan, Bone scans, Bone marrow aspiration. 

Retinoblastoma

Fundoscopic Eye examination (under anaesthesia)

Brain Tumors

MRI and/or CT scan

Wilm’s Tumor

Abdominal exam, CBC, Urine test, Sonography, Intravenous Pyelogram, CT scan, Kidney biopsy.

Bone Cancers

CBC, serum Alkaline phosphatase, serum lactate dehydrogenase, X-ray, CT scan or MRI, Biopsy 

Soft Tissue Cancer

Biopsy of the lump, CBC, CT and MRI.
Community
Cancer
Condition
Childhood Cancers
Changed
Mon, 08/09/2021 - 20:39

Stories

  • Upcoming Webinar - Childhood Cancer Survivors: Beyond Fear and Stigma
    Announcing our next webinar on dealing with survivorship issues of childhood cancer and what enables them to integrate back into schools, neighbourhoods, work places and society.  From the moment a child is diagnosed with cancer, both the child and the family enter an emotional roller coaster. Children are stunned by the sudden move from health to illness and the unwelcome drama of tests and procedures. Fear, anxiety, self guilt, parental neglect, anger, in fact, are the predominant…
  • Child with bald head
    Challenges Of Accessing Health Care In Childhood Cancer
    A recent qualitative study evaluated the challenges of accessing health care for childhood cancer in India and the effect this had on treatment of children and impact on caregivers. In an email interview, Dr Neha Faruqui in consultation with other experts helped address questions raised by PatientsEngage.  Childhood cancers such as leukemia, retinoblastoma and meningiomas are commonly seen in India for the age group of 18 and under. The time period between the first onset of symptoms to…