Childhood cancers: Soft tissue sarcomas - Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children.
Among soft tissue sarcoma refers to malignant tumors arising from the "soft tissue" of the body (eg adipose tissue, connective tissue, muscle tissue). For the childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is particularly important, which is the most common soft tissue tumor in this age group. It takes its origin from the muscle cells. The most commonly affected is the head (eye socket, nose, throat, middle ear), rare genital area, urinary tract, arms, legs and torso. Most children fall ill between 3 and 5 and between the 13th and 18 Year of life.


Symptoms depending on the location of the tumor.
The symptoms can vary greatly - depending on where the tumor develops. It can, for example notice the following symptoms:

* Emergence or displacement of the eyeball,
* Nasal congestion,
* Swelling of the jaw or other regions,
* Hearing,
* Bloody urine,
* Difficulties and / or pain when urinating,
* Vaginal bleeding.

To the formation of metastases occur in the brain, particularly in the pelvic organs as well as in lung and bone.

Childhood cancer: teratoma

In the teratomas are so-called embryonal tumors because they arise from fehlentwickeltem embryonic tissue. They may be benign or malignant. Teratomas in various parts of the body can be found, among other

*) To the coccyx and sacrum (about 50 percent of the teratomas,
* In the ovaries approximately 20 percent) (,
* In the mediastinum (chest between the two lungs),
* In the testes,
* Back into the abdominal cavity and
* In the brain and spinal cord.


Typical is a reflex behind the pupil and inflamed eyes.
The symptoms depend on the location of the tumor. Located e.g. a palpable nodule in the area of the coccyx or the abdominal cavity, it comes to abdominal pain or respiratory symptoms. Daughter tumors (metastases) may form in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver and bones.

Childhood cancer: retinoblastoma

When retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina of the eye. With 60 percent of the children involved it only occurs on one side, with 40 percent in both eyes. On a retinoblastoma cases are diagnosed in children usually at an age of about 1 to 2 years. The incidence of this disease is 1 in 18,000 people. At 5 to 10 percent of the disease is present with a family history of hereditary retinoblastoma, which means it may have affected other family members.

Typical is a reflex behind the pupil and inflamed eyes.
When the children to fall ill in the investigation of a yellowish-white of the eye behind the pupil reflex. In addition, the children suffer from impaired vision and an inflamed and sore eyes. These abnormalities have already cast suspicion on the presence of retinoblastoma. The diagnosis can be confirmed by further investigations: blood tests, as well as X-ray and ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (possibly computed tomography) of the skull. In the course of the disease can also lead to the formation of daughter tumors (metastases), including the bone marrow and liver. This daughter tumors will cause other symptoms. In addition, the tumor may in the course of its growth to penetrate into the brain.

Childhood cancer: Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of the sympathetic nervous system.
Neuroblastoma is a malignant tumor that develops from nerve cells called the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible, among other things, for functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, or digestion. Such a tumor is found usually in the adrenal glands and in an area adjacent to the spinal cord of nerve tissue (ganglion) to. Two-thirds of all cases of Neuroblastomerkrankung are found in children under 4 years. Mostly, it is a solid or "fixed", not distributed in the body tumor of childhood outside of the brain and spinal cord.


The symptoms depend on the location of the tumor and are quite different.
Affected children suffer both from symptoms that are directly attributable to the tumor, as well as under the so-called general symptoms. Directly to the tumor-related complaint includes a palpable nodule (in the abdomen when the tumor is located in the adrenal gland or adjacent to the abdominal section of the spine), respiratory symptoms, coughing, and thick neck lymph nodes (if the tumor is located next to the chest part of spine), or evidence of spinal cord injury by outgrowth of the tumor in towards the spinal cord. General symptoms may appear as paleness, weight loss, fever and diarrhea. Very early in the course of the disease leads to the delocalization of daughter tumors (metastases), including in bone, liver and lymph nodes.

Childhood cancer: Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor)

Nephroblastoma is a tumor of the kidney.
Nephroblastoma (also called Wilms' tumor ") is a malignant tumor that grows in the kidney and is due to its formation in rare cases on inheritance. Most cases (85 percent) already occur in the preschool age.


Typical complaints:
As a typical symptom a palpable nodule in the abdomen, bloody urine, weight loss, abdominal pain and constipation can be found. It can also lead to the formation of daughter tumors (metastases) in lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones and brain.


Extensive investigations are necessary.
The symptoms described already revealed the suspicion of the existence of a nephroblastoma. The diagnosis can be confirmed by further investigations (blood and urine analysis, ultrasound examination and computer and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen, X-ray examination of the kidneys with contrast, X-ray study of lung scintigraphy, histological examination of a tissue sample from the bone marrow).

Childhood cancer: leukemia

The blood is flooded with immature white blood cells.
Leukemia means "white blood". Leukemia occurs when the normal maturation process of white blood cells is disturbed in bone marrow and proliferate uncontrollably and cancerous stem cells, immature white explosively and are released into the blood. Therefore leukemias are also known as "blood cancer" or "bone cancer". Nearly half of all cancer-stricken children in Germany suffer from leukemia.


An accurate representation of the normal maturation stages of leukocytes can be found here.
The white blood cells, leukocytes, are an essential component in the immune system of the body. The leukocytes in the bone marrow. There are three basic types of white blood cells, granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes. All three basic types develop from a common bone marrow stem cell. Because of its many tasks, the different cell types need to be prepared and differentiated to their specific tasks. If this differentiation of leukemia no longer takes place. Remain the basic forms exist and can not take over the functions of the immune system, however. This leads to a displacement and a lower formation of other blood cells such as the normal red blood cells and platelets. The blood is increasingly flooded with immature white blood cells ".

Childhood cancer: Langerhans histiocytosis (histiocytosis X)

Immune cells, histiocytes, multiply uncontrollably.
In Langerhans cell histiocytosis (also called "Histiocytosis X" referred to) there is an excessive, malignant proliferation of a particular cell type of the immune system, the so-called histiocytes. This increase can occur in various organs and tissues. The statistical frequency of Langerhans cell histiocytosis is 0.4 cases per 100,000 people.


There are three forms of Histiocytosis X.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis can be divided into 3 subtypes:

* Eosinophilic granuloma: a manifestation of the disease at one or more locations in the bones.
* Hand-Schuller-Christian disease: occurrence of the disease (especially in infants) among others to the eyes, bones, gums, in the external ear canal and on the genitals.
* Disease Abt-Letterer-Siewe: It is (usually in infants and young children) to fever, skin lesions, foci in the bones and the lymphatic vessels as well as enlargement of liver and spleen.

Childhood cancer: Knochensarkome

Sarcomas are malignant tumors of the bone.
Malignant tumors of the bone tissue are called Knochensarkome. The most important for particular types of childhood osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.


Osteosarcoma occurs predominantly in the arm and leg bones.
Osteosarcoma is found primarily at the ends of the arm and leg bones. Affected are mostly children from the age of 12 years. Initial symptoms usually manifest themselves in the form of painful swelling over the affected bone regions, especially at night. Also lesions in this region are possible. It also comes with restrictions on the mobility of the corresponding arm or leg. In the course of the disease may be daughter tumors in other bones, but absiedeln in the lung.


The prognosis is relatively good.
The disease can be determined (after an initial suspicion because of the typical symptoms) through blood tests and x-rays and computer and magnetic resonance imaging. To confirm the diagnosis, the histological examination of a tissue sample from the bone is possible. The treatment of osteosarcoma initially by chemotherapy, in addition to surgery followed, in which the tumor is removed. The prognosis for the existence of an osteosarcoma is relatively good. The long-term survival rates are around 50 to 75 percent of affected children. The smaller the tumor, the better the chances of recovery.