Childhood cancer treatment success rates in Türkiye surpass 70%

Bilkent City Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Specialist Prof. Dr. Neriman Sarı stated that the success rates for childhood cancer treatment in Türkiye have exceeded 70%. In her statement for International Childhood Cancer Day, she mentioned that 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide every year, with 400,000 of them being children.

In Türkiye, 3,000-4,000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually, making up about 2% of all cancer cases. Sarı explained that awareness campaigns for early diagnosis and access to proper treatment have been carried out since 2002, marking February 15th as International Childhood Cancer Day.

Childhood cancers are rare and can be difficult to diagnose due to their unique nature compared to adult cancers, which are mostly lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. In children, leukemia, lymphomas, and brain tumors are more common.

Sarı pointed out that prolonged unexplained fever, weight loss, fatigue, swelling anywhere in the body, severe headaches, vomiting, and bruising outside trauma areas should be seen as warning signs for childhood cancers, urging families to be vigilant. If the symptoms do not fit any specific diagnosis, family doctors and pediatricians should consider childhood cancer as a differential diagnosis.

Sarı also highlighted that treatment success rates for childhood cancers have significantly improved, with developed countries achieving over 80% success. In Türkiye, this rate has risen to over 70%. However, in underdeveloped countries, the success rate is still below 30%. The goal of International Childhood Cancer Day is to ensure that all children with cancer have equal access to treatment.

Regarding treatment methods, Sarı explained that chemotherapy is the preferred treatment for leukemia and lymphoma. For other tumors, surgery and radiotherapy are also used alongside chemotherapy. Recently, targeted therapies, known as "smart drugs," have also become part of cancer treatment, along with stem cell transplants and cellular therapies.

Sarı emphasized that they provide continuous and comprehensive treatment for childhood cancers, mentioning that their youngest patient is 6 months old. They treat patients from the newborn period to the age of 18 and continue to follow and treat patients until they are 25 if diagnosed before turning 18.

She also shared information about tumors in infants, stating that tumors in the adrenal glands, kidneys, and liver are often detected when a patient presents with abdominal swelling, feeding difficulties, or changes in sucking patterns. In brain tumors in infants, neurological dysfunction may be observed, such as a child starting to crawl but later being unable to crawl, or difficulty in urination and bowel movements. These could all be signs of an oncological disease.