Usually occurs in children under age 4. Wilms' tumor - A kidney cancer, recognizable by a swelling or lump in the abdomen. Osteogenic sarcoma - A tumor of the bone, most frequent in teenagers. Associated with growth plates, it may initially be painless. Look for swelling in the area of the tumor.
Treatment is with amputation and chemotherapy.
Less than one percent of all childhood cancers can be attributed to a cause or inheritance of some kind. Since pediatric cancers are not the result of anything the child has done or had exposure to, they are difficult to prevent, he says. Early detection, however, can allow the tumors to be spotted and treated in the earliest, most curable stage. Treatment remains the best approach to childhood cancer says Civin. Advances in molecular biology techniques that allow scientists to examine human DNA for mistakes or alterations continue to provide clues, as well as targets, for new therapies.