What Is Cancer and How Does It Affect Children?
Much of what you may have heard about cancer may not apply to your child’s condition and may lead to confusion. Having accurate information about the specific type of cancer can help us better support and care for the child.
In this section, we provide general information about childhood cancers:
- Cancer is not a single disease. It refers to a group of similar diseases that can differ in important details.
- In cancer, abnormal cells divide uncontrollably, invade nearby tissues, and can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymphatic system.
- Under normal circumstances, healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly manner.
- The body increases cell production only when needed. When healthy cells become old or damaged, the body removes them and replaces them with new healthy cells.
Abnormal (cancer) cells begin to grow and multiply in an uncontrolled manner. For example, cells may continue to divide even when the body does not need new cells. In addition, old or damaged cells may fail to die when they should, causing these cells to accumulate in the tissues. Cancer cells can also invade nearby tissues, damage them, and spread to other parts of the body.
The spread of cancer to other parts of the body is called metastasis.
Dr. Neda Ashayeri
Pediatric Hematologist & Oncologist
Reproduction of this content is permitted and ethical when the author and website link are properly credited.
