Fishey Kisses
Facts and Resorces
Facts and Resorces
.Childhood Cancer Facts
Childhood cancers are the #1 disease killer of children - more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined.
Childhood cancer is not a single disease, but rather many different types that fall into 12 major categories. Common adult cancers are extremely rare in children, yet many cancers are almost exclusively found in children.
Childhood Cancers are cancers that primarily affect children, teens, and young adults. When cancer strikes children and young adults it affects them differently than it would an adult.
Attempts to detect childhood cancers at an earlier stage, when the disease would react more favorably to treatment, have largely failed. Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first diagnosed. (Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread to distant sites at the time of diagnosis).
Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
One in every 330 Americans will develop cancer by the age of 20. On the average, 12,500 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
On the average, 1 in every 4 elementary school has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are a current or former cancer patient. In the U.S., about 46 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every weekday.
While the cancer death rate has dropped more dramatically for children than for any other age group, 2,300 children and teenagers will die each year from cancer.
Childhood leukemia (making up the largest group of childhood cancers) was once a certain death sentence, but now can be cured almost 80% of the time.
Today, up to 75% of the children with cancer can be cured, yet, some forms of childhood cancers have proven so resistant to treatment that, in spite of research, a cure is illusive.
Several childhood cancers continue to have a very poor prognosis, including: brain stem tumors, metastatic sarcomas, relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Neuroblastoma Facts
Neuroblastoma is a common and often difficult to treat cancer, the most common cancer in infants.
In the United States, about 600 children are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year.
It is the most common tumor found in children younger than 1 year of age.
Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer in children.
Neuroblastoma is the most common extra cranial solid tumor cancer in children.
Every 16 hours a child with neuroblastoma dies.
There is no known cure for relapsed neuroblastoma.
Nearly 70% of those children first diagnosed with neuroblastoma have disease that has already metastasized or spread to other parts of the body. When disease has spread at diagnosis and a child is over the age of 2, there is less than a 30% chance of survival.
Facts about Brain Tumors
Each year more than 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor. Primary brain tumors comprise approximately 40,000 of these diagnoses.
Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children under the age of 20, now surpassing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). They are the second leading cause of cancer death in male adults ages 20-29 and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in female adults ages 20-39.
Metastatic brain tumors, cancer that spreads from other parts of the body to the brain, are the most common types of brain tumors. They occur in 10-15% of people with cancer. Primary brain tumors generally do not metastasize to other parts of the body.
There are over 120 different types of brain tumors, which make effective treatment complicated. They can be malignant or non-malignant (benign), and in either case, can be just as injurious or life threatening.
At present, the standard treatments for brain tumors include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. These may be used either individually or in combination.
Brain tumors in children are different from those in adults, and consequently, are treated differently. As many as 69% of children will survive, but they are often left with long-term side effects.
There are currently no known causes of brain tumors, however, epidemiological studies are ongoing. Complete and accurate data on all primary brain tumors is needed to provide the foundation for investigations of its causes and research leading to improved diagnosis and treatment.
Brain tumors have no socio-economic boundaries and do not discriminate among gender or ethnicity.
At this time, brain tumor research is underfunded and the public remains unaware of the magnitude of this disease. The cure rate for most brain tumors is significantly lower than that for many other types of cancer.
For more information, visit these sites.....
http://www.mayoclinic.org/pediatric-brain-tumors/
http://www.pbtfus.org/
http://www.curesearch.org/
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
Childhood cancers are the #1 disease killer of children - more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined.
Childhood cancer is not a single disease, but rather many different types that fall into 12 major categories. Common adult cancers are extremely rare in children, yet many cancers are almost exclusively found in children.
Childhood Cancers are cancers that primarily affect children, teens, and young adults. When cancer strikes children and young adults it affects them differently than it would an adult.
Attempts to detect childhood cancers at an earlier stage, when the disease would react more favorably to treatment, have largely failed. Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first diagnosed. (Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread to distant sites at the time of diagnosis).
Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
One in every 330 Americans will develop cancer by the age of 20. On the average, 12,500 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
On the average, 1 in every 4 elementary school has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are a current or former cancer patient. In the U.S., about 46 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every weekday.
While the cancer death rate has dropped more dramatically for children than for any other age group, 2,300 children and teenagers will die each year from cancer.
Childhood leukemia (making up the largest group of childhood cancers) was once a certain death sentence, but now can be cured almost 80% of the time.
Today, up to 75% of the children with cancer can be cured, yet, some forms of childhood cancers have proven so resistant to treatment that, in spite of research, a cure is illusive.
Several childhood cancers continue to have a very poor prognosis, including: brain stem tumors, metastatic sarcomas, relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Neuroblastoma Facts
Neuroblastoma is a common and often difficult to treat cancer, the most common cancer in infants.
In the United States, about 600 children are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year.
It is the most common tumor found in children younger than 1 year of age.
Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer in children.
Neuroblastoma is the most common extra cranial solid tumor cancer in children.
Every 16 hours a child with neuroblastoma dies.
There is no known cure for relapsed neuroblastoma.
Nearly 70% of those children first diagnosed with neuroblastoma have disease that has already metastasized or spread to other parts of the body. When disease has spread at diagnosis and a child is over the age of 2, there is less than a 30% chance of survival.
Facts about Brain Tumors
Each year more than 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor. Primary brain tumors comprise approximately 40,000 of these diagnoses.
Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children under the age of 20, now surpassing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). They are the second leading cause of cancer death in male adults ages 20-29 and the fifth leading cause of cancer death in female adults ages 20-39.
Metastatic brain tumors, cancer that spreads from other parts of the body to the brain, are the most common types of brain tumors. They occur in 10-15% of people with cancer. Primary brain tumors generally do not metastasize to other parts of the body.
There are over 120 different types of brain tumors, which make effective treatment complicated. They can be malignant or non-malignant (benign), and in either case, can be just as injurious or life threatening.
At present, the standard treatments for brain tumors include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. These may be used either individually or in combination.
Brain tumors in children are different from those in adults, and consequently, are treated differently. As many as 69% of children will survive, but they are often left with long-term side effects.
There are currently no known causes of brain tumors, however, epidemiological studies are ongoing. Complete and accurate data on all primary brain tumors is needed to provide the foundation for investigations of its causes and research leading to improved diagnosis and treatment.
Brain tumors have no socio-economic boundaries and do not discriminate among gender or ethnicity.
At this time, brain tumor research is underfunded and the public remains unaware of the magnitude of this disease. The cure rate for most brain tumors is significantly lower than that for many other types of cancer.
For more information, visit these sites.....
http://www.mayoclinic.org/pediatric-brain-tumors/
http://www.pbtfus.org/
http://www.curesearch.org/
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
Resources
Here are some important sites I have found through my journey, I will add more as I find them.
UMCCC Childhood Cancer: Childhood Brain Tumor Resources -This site focuses on childhood brain tumors and resources for families.
http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/cancertreat/pediatrics/brain_spinal/resources.shtml
www.CureSearch.org -This site offers important information to parents/families and patients on facts, research, resources, funding and events, and so much more....
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_6x_Children_and_Cancer.asp Children and Cancer - This site provides a ton of info on childhood cancer and resources.
Childhood Cancers Home Page - National Cancer Institute -This site allows you to search by cancer type, and provides info on treatments,clinical trials,supportive care,stats and so much more.... http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
http://www.cancer.net/patient/Coping/Age-Specific+Information/Cancer+in+Children/Childhood+Cancer+Resources
-This site is loaded with resources for childhood cancer.
http://childhoodcancerlifeline.org/resources.htm
Childhood Cancer Lifeline - Resources -Provides a list of organizations and foundations that offer support (emotional and finacial), information, and more resources for childhood cancers.
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/diseases/SOCC.html
Signs of Childhood Cancer -Ped-Onc resource center ...good information on this site.
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/
Resources and information for parents of children with cancer . . . by parents of children with cancer.
http://www.abta.org/Tumor_&_Treatment_Info/Childhood_Brain_Tumors/228
This site is all about brain tumors in children.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/youngpeople
Young People With Cancer: A Handbook for Parents
An online version of a handbook put out by the National Cancer Institute, it "discusses the most common types of childhood cancer, treatments and side effects, and issues that may arise when a child is diagnosed with cancer. Offers medical information and practical tips gathered from parents."
http://www.wish.org/
Make a Wish foundation
Make-A-Wish is the oldest and largest of the organizations which grant wishes to children facing life-threatening illnesses. Click the link for contact information on your local chapter.
http://rmhc.org/ Ronald McDonald House Charities
http://www.hospicefoundation.org/ Hospice Foundation of America
http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f2bfab46cb118010VgnVCM1000000e2015acRCRD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
http://www.cancerindex.org/ccw/guide2sg.htm
Support Groups and Charities
http://wallofcourage.com/
Pediatric Brain tumor wall of courage.
Here are some important sites I have found through my journey, I will add more as I find them.
UMCCC Childhood Cancer: Childhood Brain Tumor Resources -This site focuses on childhood brain tumors and resources for families.
http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/cancertreat/pediatrics/brain_spinal/resources.shtml
www.CureSearch.org -This site offers important information to parents/families and patients on facts, research, resources, funding and events, and so much more....
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_6x_Children_and_Cancer.asp Children and Cancer - This site provides a ton of info on childhood cancer and resources.
Childhood Cancers Home Page - National Cancer Institute -This site allows you to search by cancer type, and provides info on treatments,clinical trials,supportive care,stats and so much more.... http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
http://www.cancer.net/patient/Coping/Age-Specific+Information/Cancer+in+Children/Childhood+Cancer+Resources
-This site is loaded with resources for childhood cancer.
http://childhoodcancerlifeline.org/resources.htm
Childhood Cancer Lifeline - Resources -Provides a list of organizations and foundations that offer support (emotional and finacial), information, and more resources for childhood cancers.
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/diseases/SOCC.html
Signs of Childhood Cancer -Ped-Onc resource center ...good information on this site.
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/
Resources and information for parents of children with cancer . . . by parents of children with cancer.
http://www.abta.org/Tumor_&_Treatment_Info/Childhood_Brain_Tumors/228
This site is all about brain tumors in children.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/youngpeople
Young People With Cancer: A Handbook for Parents
An online version of a handbook put out by the National Cancer Institute, it "discusses the most common types of childhood cancer, treatments and side effects, and issues that may arise when a child is diagnosed with cancer. Offers medical information and practical tips gathered from parents."
http://www.wish.org/
Make a Wish foundation
Make-A-Wish is the oldest and largest of the organizations which grant wishes to children facing life-threatening illnesses. Click the link for contact information on your local chapter.
http://rmhc.org/ Ronald McDonald House Charities
http://www.hospicefoundation.org/ Hospice Foundation of America
http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f2bfab46cb118010VgnVCM1000000e2015acRCRD
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
http://www.cancerindex.org/ccw/guide2sg.htm
Support Groups and Charities
http://wallofcourage.com/
Pediatric Brain tumor wall of courage.
I hope to make this a very useful site for parents with children diagnosed with cancer.
I know the things I hit the web for when I first got my news....information, stats, and the peace of mind that I was not alone. I also needed info on funding for us as a family, with our growing needs finacially, and much emotional support too. I learned that families with children that have and are being treated for cancer are largly "unknown" to the real world. The fact that these families not only are dealing with devastating news, but they also face the burdens of loss of income and many added expences as well. The diagnosis of cancer goes far beyond the medical side...it affects EVERY family member in EVERY aspect of their lives. I strive to make this unknown horror a little easier on someone else, and I also hope to raise some much needed awareness of all the needs of these families and children in the process.
I am still working on the site, please be mindful of that. I tried to open as many areas as I could temorarily, but check back ofton, and I welcome your comments.
I know the things I hit the web for when I first got my news....information, stats, and the peace of mind that I was not alone. I also needed info on funding for us as a family, with our growing needs finacially, and much emotional support too. I learned that families with children that have and are being treated for cancer are largly "unknown" to the real world. The fact that these families not only are dealing with devastating news, but they also face the burdens of loss of income and many added expences as well. The diagnosis of cancer goes far beyond the medical side...it affects EVERY family member in EVERY aspect of their lives. I strive to make this unknown horror a little easier on someone else, and I also hope to raise some much needed awareness of all the needs of these families and children in the process.
I am still working on the site, please be mindful of that. I tried to open as many areas as I could temorarily, but check back ofton, and I welcome your comments.