More than 2,000 children a year are diagnosed with brain and spinal cord tumors each year in the U.S. Symptoms include flu symptoms, frequent headaches, particularly if associated with nausea or vomiting, a wobbly walk and vision problems. Treatment includes surgery and radiation therapy and sometimes chemotherapy. Though there are many different types of brain and central nervous system tumors, in general over half survive longer than five years. A cancer of the white blood cells that is the most common childhood cancer, affecting an estimated 2,200 children a year. Symptoms include fatigue, pale color, repeated infections, and excessive bruising and bleeding.
Treatment is typically chemotherapy though on rare occassions radiation therapy is also used.
Survival rates for the most common form of leukemia, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, are approaching 80 percent. There are about 900 cases a year of the most common form bone cancer, osteosarcoma, which mainly strikes teenagers. Symptoms include pain and swelling around the tumor, restricted movement, fractures, tiredness, fever and weight loss. Treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. About three-quarters of all osteosarcoma patients survive.