Childhood cancer

Why in News? C

Karnataka is witnessing a gradual year-on-year rise in childhood cancer cases, with 1,882 estimated cases in 2025, highlighting the growing burden of paediatric malignancies

• Cancer – Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and can spread to other parts of the body.
  • Malignant tumours – Invade nearby tissues and can spread.
  • Benign tumours – They do not invade and usually do not grow back.
• Childhood cancer – It refers to cancers occurring in children and adolescents (0–19 years).  
  • In Karnataka, childhood cancers formed about 2.1% of all new cancer cases in 2025.

Globally, about 400,000 children develop cancer annually, and it is a leading cause of death in children and adolescents.

• Causes – Genetic changes in cells that control growth and division.
• Errors during cell division or inherited genetic mutations.
• Damage to DNA by harmful substances or infections (HIV, Epstein-Barr virus, malaria)
  • About 10% of childhood cancers have a genetic predisposition.
• Unlike adults, lifestyle and environmental factors play a limited role

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed globally every year on 15 February to raise awareness about childhood cancers. The theme for ICCD 2026 is "Demonstrating Impact: From Challenge to Change."

• Symptoms – Fever, severe and persistent headaches, bone pain, weight loss.
• Unusual swellings, pallor, easy bruising or bleeding, fatigue
• White reflex in the eye, enlarged lymph nodes, night sweats
• Vulnerable Populations – Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Poor households with limited access to diagnosis and treatment.
• Children with inherited genetic predisposition.
• Treatment – Chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation.
• Supportive and psychosocial care, palliative care, with treatment support under Arogya Karnataka scheme and NGOs in Karnataka.
• Cure rates –
  • >80% in high-income countries.
  • <30% in many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).
  • >70% curable with early diagnosis and uninterrupted treatment (Karnataka data).
• Measures – Prompt and correct diagnosis followed by effective evidence-based therapy.
• Improving access, strengthening childhood cancer data systems, along with financial and psychosocial support for families.
• India –
• Ayushman Bharat - Arogya Karnataka (AB-ARK) provides up to ₹5 lakh per year for BPL families.
• Kidwai Memorial Institute (KMIO) - As the state’s apex centre, it offers free treatment for BPL patients and has established a dedicated 65-bed pediatric ward.
• NGO Support - Organizations like the Indian Cancer Society and various local foundations often bridge the gap for medication and travel costs.
• Prevention – Childhood cancer generally cannot be prevented or screened.
• Vaccination (Hepatitis B, HPV) and early treatment of chronic infections
• Genetic counselling and monitoring in high-risk families.

Quick Fact

References

1. The Hindu | Childhood Cancer
2. WHO | Childhood Cancer