Cancer is rare in teens. Certain diseases like breast cancer
usually affect adult women - teen girls are unlikely to get this
form of cancer. But there are some types that are more likely to
occur in teens. Testicular cancer, for example, tends to affect
younger guys rather than older men.
The types of cancers teens get have one thing in common:
cells
, the basic components or "building blocks" of the human
body.
Cancer
occurs when cells develop abnormally and grow in an uncontrolled
way. Read on to learn more about some types of cancer that teens
may get, including warning signs and symptoms and how these cancers
can be treated.
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma (pronounced:
os
-tee-oh-sar-
koh
-muh) is the most common type of bone cancer. In teens, it can
sometimes appear during their
growth spurts
. Osteosarcoma affects twice as many guys as girls and tends to
show up in people who are taller than average. In most cases, there
is no known cause for osteosarcoma.
The most common symptoms of osteosarcoma are pain and swelling
in an arm or leg that is sometimes accompanied by a lump. Some
people have more pain at night or when they
exercise
. Osteosarcoma is most often found in the bones around the knee but
can occur in other bones as well. In some cases, a tumor can spread
or metastasize to the lungs and other bones. (
Metastasize
is the word doctors use when cells from a tumor break away from the
original cancer site and travel to a different tissue or
organ.)
Treatment for osteosarcoma usually involves
chemotherapy
(medication that kills cancer cells) as well as surgery to remove
the tumor. A doctor may perform
limb-salvage surgery
, where the bone that has cancer is removed and the limb (usually
an arm or leg) is saved from amputation by filling the gap with a
bone graft or special metal rod. In rare cases, a doctor may need
to
amputate
(remove) part or all of the limb to fight the cancer.
Losing a limb can be devastating, especially for teens who are
already dealing with body changes. Counseling and physical therapy
(also called physical rehabilitation) can both be helpful in this
situation. People who have amputations are usually fitted with a
prosthesis
(pronounced: prahs-
thee
-sus), or artificial limb. Most teens with a prosthesis are able to
return to normal activities - even sports.
Most people develop side effects, such as
hair loss
, bleeding, infections, and heart or skin problems, from medicines
used in chemotherapy treatment for osteosarcoma. Chemotherapy may
also increase the person's risk of developing other cancers in
the future. The good news is that most teens with osteosarcoma do
recover.
Ewing's Sarcoma
Another type of cancer that affects the bone is
Ewing's sarcoma
. It is similar to osteosarcoma in that it also affects teens and
young adults and is usually located in the leg or pelvis.
Most teens with Ewing's sarcoma receive chemotherapy as well
as surgery. Some patients will also need radiation in addition to
or instead of surgery to make sure that remaining cancer cells have
been destroyed. Ewing's sarcoma generally responds well to
chemotherapy and radiation.
Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma share common risk factors
and side effects from treatment. Chances for recovery depend upon
where the tumor is located, its size, and whether it has spread.
But both types of bone cancer respond well to treatment and are
curable in many cases.
Leukemia
Leukemia is one of the most common childhood cancers. It occurs
when large numbers of abnormal white blood cells called
leukemic blasts
fill the bone marrow and sometimes enter the bloodstream.
Because these abnormal blood cells are defective, they don't
help protect the body against infection the way normal white blood
cells do. And because they grow uncontrollably, they take over the
bone marrow and interfere with the body's production of other
important types of cells in the bloodstream, like
red blood cells
(which carry oxygen) and
platelets
(which help blood to clot).
Leukemia causes problems like bleeding,
anemia
(low numbers of red blood cells), bone pain, and infections. It can
also spread to other places like the lymph nodes, liver, spleen,
brain, and the testicles in males.
The types of leukemia most likely to occur in teens are
acute lymphocytic
(pronounced: lim-fuh-
sih
-tik)
leukemia
(ALL) and
acute myelogenous
(pronounced: my-uh-
ladj
-uh-nus)
leukemia
(AML).
Virtually all people with ALL and AML are treated with
chemotherapy, and some also receive
stem cell transplants
, in which they are given new stem cells from another person. Bone
marrow transplants are a common form of stem cell transplantation.
Some people also receive radiation. The length of treatment and
types of medicine given will vary depending on the type of
leukemia.
The chances for a cure are very good with certain kinds of
leukemia. With treatment, most patients with ALL and many patients
with AML are free of the disease without recurrence.
Brain Tumors
Brain tumors are not common in teens.
Two of the most common forms are
astrocytomas
(pronounced: as-truh-sye-
toe
-muhz) and
ependymomas
(pronounced: ep-en-duh-
moe
-muhz). Astrocytomas are tumors of the brain that originate from
cells in the brain called astrocytes. This type of tumor
doesn't usually spread outside the brain and spinal cord and
doesn't usually affect other organs. Ependymomas are tumors
that usually begin in the lining of brain ventricles. The brain has
four ventricles, or cavities, that are a pathway for
cerebrospinal fluid
, a liquid substance that cushions the brain and spine and protects
them from trauma.
No one knows the exact cause of primary brain cancer. One
possibility is that as the brain and spinal cord were forming, a
problem with the cells occurred.
Treatments vary depending upon the type and location of the
tumor. If it is possible to remove a tumor, surgery is usually
performed, followed by radiation. Some patients receive
chemotherapy as well.
The chance of surviving a brain tumor depends on its type,
location, and treatment. But there is a very good chance that if
the tumor can be removed and additional treatment is given, the
cancer can be cured.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma
refers to cancer that develops in the
lymphatic system
, which includes the lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, adenoids,
tonsils, and bone marrow. The lymph system functions in the body by
fighting off germs that cause infection and illness. Most teens
with lymphoma have either
Hodgkin's disease
or
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
.
Hodgkin's disease usually occurs in adolescents and young
adults. It can show up in lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, chest,
or other places. The lymph nodes become enlarged but are usually
not painful. Hodgkin's disease is identified by large, unusual
cells called
Reed-Sternberg cells
that are detected under a microscope after a biopsy, a procedure in
which a doctor removes a small tissue sample to examine it for
cancer cells. Chemotherapy and often radiation are used to treat
Hodgkin's disease.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is similar to leukemia (ALL)
because both involve malignant
lymphocytes
(pronounced:
lim
-fuh-sytes), white blood cells found in lymph nodes, and because
many of the symptoms of these diseases are the same. NHL is usually
treated with chemotherapy.
Teens with Hodgkin's disease or NHL who have completed their
treatment have an excellent chance for cure.
Other Cancers
Other cancers that teens may get - although they are generally
rare - include testicular cancer and rhabdomyosarcomas.
Although
testicular cancer
is actually rare in teen guys, overall it is the
most common
cancer in males ages 15 to 35. Testicular cancer is almost always
curable if it is caught and treated early. Guys should learn how to
examine their
testicles
regularly to detect any abnormal lumps or bumps, which are usually
the earliest sign of testicular cancer.
Rhabdomyosarcomas
(pronounced:
rab
-doe-my-uh-sar-
koe
-muhz), or soft tissue sarcomas, are less common cancers that
mostly occur in infants, kids, and teens. With these cancers,
cancer cells grow in the soft tissues of the skeletal muscles (the
body's muscles that a person controls for movement). Though
these cancers can occur anywhere in the body, rhabdomyosarcomas
most frequently happen within the muscles in the trunk, arms, or
legs. The types of treatment used and chances for recovery depend
upon where the rhabdomyosarcoma is located and whether the cancer
has spread to other areas of the body.
Updated and reviewed by:
Robin E. Miller, MD
Date reviewed: June 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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