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.

Childhood cancer: Testicular and ovarian tumors

There are benign and malignant tumors.
Tumors of testes or ovaries occur at a frequency of about 4 cases per 1 million people. It can be both benign or malignant tumors.

The symptoms are very typical.
Typical symptoms of ovarian cancer have a palpable mass in the pelvis, abdominal pain and possibly a premature onset of puberty, when the tumor produces hormones. Testicular tumors usually fall to a swelling of the testes and (in hormone-producing tumors) by a premature onset of puberty. ) For the formation of daughter tumors (metastases may occur in both ovarian and testicular tumors as well as including the lymph nodes, lungs and liver.

Childhood cancer: Hepatoblastoma

Children under 3 years are affected.
When Hepatoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the liver that occurs predominantly in children during the first 3 years of life. In some cases, the hepatoblastoma can produce hormones. If a million people take an average of 1.6 diseases.


The liver is growing.
By increasing the growth of tumors in the liver leads to a hardening of body. Furthermore, the withdrawal of the belly bulge. You may experience loss of appetite and vomiting. In the hormone-producing tumors, premature onset of puberty is possible. In the course of the disease can form daughter tumors (metastases) in lymph nodes, lungs, and / or bone.

Childhood cancer: brain tumors

Brain tumors can occur in very different parts of the brain. There are also many different types of tumors in the brain. The main ones are occurring brain tumors in children include:

* Gliomas: Glioma is a collective term for tumors arising from the neuroglia. As the supporting neuroglia and tissue sheath called the nervous system. Gliomas often begin with the neuroglia of the brain. Particularly common is a form of glioma, the so-called astrocytomas.
* Medulloblastomas are also referred to as "cerebellar vermis.
* Ependymomas: Outgoing From Empendym glial tumor. The Empendym is a single-cell lining of the glial cells of the cerebral ventricles and central canal of the spinal cord.
* Craniopharyngioma, Rathke's pouch tumor is also called a tumor, which is already in the embryo by an aberration in the field of Hypophysentasche forms (Rathke's pouch).
* Meningiomas: Meningiomas are slow-growing benign tumors assume that) from the meninges, the surface cells of the arachnoid mater (skin cobwebs of the brain and spinal cord.
* Pituitary adenomas: Pituitary adenomas are tumors of the pituitary gland or pituitary gland. Some of these tumors produce hormones that intervene in the control and feedback loops of the pituitary hormones. An example of an endocrine pituitary adenoma is the prolactinoma, which is described in more detail. A description of adrenal pituitary adenomas can be found here.

Childhood Cancer

In Germany, every year about 1,700 children and young people affected by cancer. Depending on the type of cancer is the course of the disease, its treatment and the chances of recovery greatly. There has been precisely in the area of pediatric oncology great progress. Here you will find an overview of the most common cancers in children, symptoms and treatment options.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to attack other networks. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems.

Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are named for organs or cell types in which they start - for example, cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer; cancer that begins in basal cells of the skin is called basal cell carcinoma.

Types of cancer can be grouped into broader categories. The main categories of cancer include:

* Carcinoma - cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.
* Sarcoma - cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
* Leukemia - cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as bone marrow and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells are produced and enter the blood.
* Lymphoma and myeloma - cancers that begin in cells of the immune system.
* Central nervous system cancers - cancers that begin in brain tissue and spinal cord.

Breast Cancer

When the number of cells in the breast grows and develops with no control, this is called breast cancer. These cells can invade surrounding tissue and spread throughout the body. Large collection of uncontrolled network is called a tumor or lump. However, not all tumors are cancerous because it is not spread or threaten life. This tumor is called benign tumors. Tumors that can spread throughout the body or to attack the surrounding tissue are cancerous or malignant tumors. In theory, each type of tissue in the breast cancer can form, usually occurs on the channel or milk glands.

Oropharyngeal Cancer

Oropharyngeal cancer had occurred at the soft palate, palatine tonsil, tongue base, epiglottis, and pharyngeal wall and other peripheral parts of the malignant tumor. According to statistics, oropharyngeal cancer accounted for 1.3% of systemic cancer, accounting for 4.2% of head and neck cancer. Occurred since the palatine tonsil are about half or more times for soft palate and tongue. Its a good fat child 30 to 59 years old, accounting for 65%. The male to female ratio of about 2.3:1. Oropharyngeal cancer usually a higher grade, developing rapidly, its early lesions 5-year survival rate of 80% ~ 94%, with unilateral cervical lymph node metastasis was 34%, can occur late hematogenous metastasis to the liver, lung, bone etc.. Bian as the cause of this disease and heat knot poly-drug blood stasis in the pharyngeal palate.

Traditional medicine's understanding of the disease earlier and different title. Chinese medicine of its ownership in the "carbuncle on the palate," "jaw necrosis" "hanging carbuncle" category.

Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is a common digestive tract cancer, occur in the middle-aged men. The distribution is a clear regional differences, Latin America, Asia and Central Europe, such as Japan, Chile, Iceland and other countries have a higher prevalence, the United States, Britain and other countries the incidence is lower. Gastric cancer in China has higher morbidity and mortality. A large number of census data indicate that the incidence of gastric cancer causes and the environment, race, living habits, diet, genetics, and nitrosamines, trace elements, but not with partial gastric lesions, such as gastric polyps, intestinal metaplasia, atrophic gastritis, also has a relationship , but the exact cause is not clear.

Brain Cancer

Brain is grown in the cranial cavity of the new creatures, also known as intracranial tumors, can be originated in the brain, meninges, nerves, blood vessels and brain attachments, or other organizations or by the body's organs formed by the transfer of invasive intracranial large can be generated headache, intracranial hypertension and focal symptoms. The incidence of brain tumors is about 1.9 to 5.4 people / (10 million), accounting for a variety of tumors in the body from 1% to 3%. Of all ages can be disease, of which 20 to 40-year-old majority, its the nature of the lesion and pathological differ with age, such as infants under 6 months, 75% of brain tumors in the screen on a screen above the age of tumor incidence under the higher before the age of 16 posterior cranial fossa tumors account for about 2 / 3; middle age glioma, pituitary tumor frequency increased; the elderly with plastic neuroblastoma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma, and metastatic tumors accounted for 80% ~ 90 %. Men sick about 55%.