Various factors can trigger cancer in children, and it can occur at any time. According to Dr. Andre Prawira Putra, Sp.Onk.Rad., MPH, who is a radiation oncology specialist at Tzu Chi Hospital, mentioned several factors that have the potential to increase the risk of childhood cancer.
One of them is from internal factors. This factor comes from the possibility that a child already has a genetic mutation in the womb, which can then lead to the emergence of cancer. In addition, there is also the possibility that this cancer-triggering mutation was obtained after the child was born.
The next factor is an external factor, namely the increased risk of childhood cancer due to exposure to bad substances that trigger cancer-causing mutations.
Exposure to these hazardous chemicals can be caused by waste or pollution, including air pollution or exposure to cancer-causing substances in the food consumed by children.
8 common abnormal symptoms in children
In the presentation by Dr. Andre, early detection of cancer in children can be done by paying attention to several unusual symptoms. Here are eight common symptoms in children that can be observed, namely:
1. Bruising, bleeding, and pain in the joints without cause
2. Sudden bleeding from the nose or gums
3. Crossed eyes and the appearance of white pupils when exposed to light
4. Children show unexplained weight loss
5. Have an unexplained fever and are not accompanied by other signs of illness
6. The presence of lumps/swelling without pain, or other signs of infection in various parts of the body – some parts of the body have asymmetrical lumps
7. Continuous headaches, or an enlarged head in babies
8. The presence of nerve disorders, such as walking disorders