Leukemia Domination A Third Case Of Child Cancer In Indonesia

Illustration of children in hospital treatment

JAKARTA - Pediatrician Fatmawati Hospital Jakarta Jeshika Febi calls blood cancer a type of cancer that dominates a third of the total cancer cases found in children.

"The cancer that is most often found in Indonesia is blood cancer. So if for example this is a third of all cases of child cancer," Jeshika said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, February 17.

He said it occurred because the blood produced in the bone cord produces more white blood cells (pleukocytes) than other blood cells in an abnormal amount.

Excessive anomalies trigger children to develop cancer. Leukemia itself is currently ranked first as a type of cancer that has a lot of hit children. Based on Globocan data in 2020, it is estimated that there are around 11 thousand new cases of cancer in children aged 0 to 19 years in Indonesia.

Jeshika said that many pediatric patients who suffered from layoffs came in a pale and weak condition due to the downing of hemoglobin (Hb). Some others are followed by bleeding conditions such as bleeding or bleeding gums.

"Then there is a condition where there are red spots on the legs, on the hands of the bruises or in a pale condition accompanied by enlargement of the liver, runoff. One of the signs of the child experiencing symptoms is that he is most often pale accompanied by bleeding," he said.

Then there are also two other cancers that have a lot of hit children, namely eye cancer or retinoblastoma. Cancer has its own uniqueness because it can be seen by ordinary people directly.

When his eyes are exposed to light, a white circle will appear in the black part of the child's eye which is hit by a retinoblastoma. His condition can be analogized like a cat's eye.

Symptoms, children will experience visual impairments. Many patients come in excessive eye condition. If they have experienced it, parents are advised to immediately take their children to the hospital for further detection.

The third type of cancer that hits children a lot is bone cancer or osteosarcoma. This cancer mostly occurs in children who are older and over the age of 10.

Often pediatric patients who come, admit that they fall while playing football. Then, many cases found the child's feet massaged first and ended up not recovering and even swelling bigger.

As a result, children are late in receiving medical diagnosis and treatment because they have entered the advanced stage.

Jeshika said the symptoms depend on the bone that is affected. Usually occurs in long bones, but it does not rule out the possibility of bumps such as swelling in other areas of the body.

If it is in advanced stages, the child can lose part of the leg or bone. So it is better to take it to health facilities early and immediately get the treatment," he said.