Download What is Cancer? - Children`s Cancer Foundation

What is Cancer?
Cancer is UNCONTROLLED and ABNORMAL cell growth that can spread
to other parts of the body disrupting normal bodily functions.
This means that the cells in your body grow too quickly. When this occurs,
some of the cells stop working properly.
Sometimes cancer cells grow so quickly that they may cause a lump or
tumour to form somewhere in your body.
Normal cells
Cancer cells grow uncontrollably,
crowding out the normal cells
Common facts about cancer
• It’s nobody’s fault that you have cancer. It is not
because you did or said something wrong, and it
is not because you were naughty.
• Remember, cancer is not contagious! This
means that no one passed it to you, and you
can’t pass it to anyone else either. But, you
should try not to go to crowded places because
you may catch infections easily.
Going to the Hospital
HOSPITAL
Who are the people in a hospital?
Personal hygiene and infection control…
What you might experience in a hospital…
Who are the people in a Hospital?
The Doctor that looks
after you is called a
Pediatric Oncologist.
Pediatric Oncologists go
through special training to
treat children with cancer.
Nurses take care of you
while you are in hospital.
They give medicine,
monitor blood pressure,
draw blood, insert IVs,
and work closely with
doctors to help you get
well.
Patient Service
Associates greet you
with a big “Hello!” when
you come to the hospital.
They help you make
appointments to see
your doctor, arrange for
admission, do billing and
cashiering.
The health attendant
ensures good
housekeeping and
cleanliness in the
wards. They also
ensure that you are
served warm, healthy
food during mealtimes.
Your CCF Social
Worker and
Counsellor supports
you and your family
to cope better with
the illness and
challenges that
comes with it.
Your CCF
programme
executive makes
your time in the
hospital a more
enjoyable one. They
have many fun toys,
games and craft
activities for you to
enjoy.
In the hospital…
We need to wash our hands to
remove the germs on our hands.
This will prevent you from picking
up germs that can make you more
sick.
It is also important to
wear your mask. The
mask will keep germs
away from you.
What you might experience
Finger prick – Full Blood Count (FBC)
When you come to the hospital, the nurse will
prick your finger using a small needle and
collect your blood sample in a plastic tube.
The blood sample will then be sent to the
laboratory for examination.
Consultation with your doctor
When your FBC results are out, your doctor
would see you and your parents. This special
time with your doctor will allow your doctor to
check how you are doing in your treatment.
He will also check that you are well and
record your progress in a file with only your
records in it. He might give you medications
to take or admit you in hospital for treatment.
Fasting
Doctors and nurses may advise you to fast
before your treatment starts that particular
day. Fasting means not eating or drinking for
a few hours. Your parents may encourage
you to have something to eat or drink before
the fasting starts, so you will have some
energy for that day.
Outpatient Day Therapy
Your doctor may plan for you to have a few
hours of chemotherapy in the hospital. This
means that you will be assigned a hospital
bed so that you can lie down to rest while you
have chemotherapy. Here, the nurses will
give you chemotherapy as planned by the
doctors. They will be around to take care of
you while that happens.
Admission for Inpatient Therapy
Your doctor may also plan for you to stay in
hospital for treatment for a day or more. You
may also be advised to stay in hospital if you
have a fever or when you are not well. The
nurses will be there 24 hours a day to take care
of you. Your parents can stay with you to keep
you company. In hospital, you can watch TV
programmes and play games. Remember to
ask your CCF programme executive for toys,
DVD, books and crafts to occupy your time in
hospital.
Treatment
Chemotherapy
• During chemotherapy, very powerful medicine is given to
you to stop the cancer cells from growing in your body.
The medicine moves through your bloodstream and can
be absorbed by your blood to kill the cancer cells more
easily!
• The doctor or nurse will give you the medicine either by
mouth or into your blood through your Port-a-cath or
Hickman line.
• The types of chemotherapy given to each child is
different. The doctors and nurses plan your treatment
very carefully so that the cancer cells can be destroyed.
Port-a-cath
•
•
•
Having a port-a-cath makes it
easier for the nurse to put
medicine into your body and take
blood. It saves you from getting
poked over and over again.
Port-a-cath is placed under your
skin at your chest area. The
doctor will give you some
medicine to make you sleep to put
the port in you. You cannot see
the port because it is under your
skin, but you can feel it with your
fingers. It feels just like a button!
When it’s time for medicine or
blood test, the nurse will “access”
your port. She will first put some
“emla” cream over the port area to
make your skin sleep, so when the
needle pokes through, you can’t
feel it.
emla 5%
Hickman line
• Some children do not have a
port, they have Hickman line. It is
a central line that goes into a
vein in your chest for getting
medicine and blood tests. The
doctor will give you some
medicine to make you sleep to
put the line in you.
• The Hickman line can stay in
your body for a long time. It is
important to keep your Hickman
line dry and very clean. An adult
has to change the bandage over
your line every week.
• Some children have Port-a-cath and some
have Hickman line. What do you have?
Port-a-cath
Hickman line
Radiotherapy (RT)
• During radiotherapy, cancer cells are destroyed
by X-rays. It lasts for a few minutes each time.
To make sure that all the cancer cells are
destroyed, you might need to go for a few
radiotherapy sessions.
• During RT, you must lie very still so that the Xrays can be directed at the tumour. RT doesn’t
hurt but the part of your skin where the X-rays
were directed at may become sore and red.
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)
• Sometimes, a bone marrow transplant is needed
for you to get well. Our bone marrow is where
new blood cells are formed in our body.
• Before BMT, your bone marrow which produces
cancer cells are destroyed by very high doses of
medicine and radiation.
• During BMT, the doctor will replace your bone
marrow with a healthy bone marrow, either from
a donor or from yourself. Now, your new marrow
will no longer produce cancer cells!
Regular tests
• Tests are done regularly to measure how well the treatments are
working for you!
• Finger prick (FBC)
– When you come to the hospital, the nurse will prick your
finger using a small needle and collect your blood sample in
a plastic tube.
– The blood sample will then be sent to the laboratory for
examination.
• Bone marrow aspiration (BMA)
– Your bone marrow produces your body’s blood cells and
sometimes, doctors need to test your bone marrow to check
if there are still cancer cells in your body.
– Before the BMA, the doctor will put you to sleep for awhile.
The doctor will do the BMA on your hip bone and remove a
small amount of marrow for tests to be done.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan
– You may have to do a MRI scan to examine the structures, like
tissues and muscles in your body. To do the MRI, you have to lie
on a bed and be pushed into a tunnel. You will hear some
humming and thumping during the MRI scan, but it doesn’t hurt!
• Computerised Axial Tomography (CAT) or CT scan
– A CT scan is used to examine the bone structure in your body.
Before the scan, you have to fast meaning you cannot eat or
drink. You will be placed on a scanning couch for the scan to be
done. You will also be given a contrast medium, which is like a
colourful dye. This dye goes into your blood and makes it clearer
for the doctor to see the structures in your body.
Common side effects
• During treatment, your body will react to
the different drugs given and you will
experience side effects. This means that
you will go through some not so nice
things. It’s going to be tough but there are
certainly things you can do to help make
you feel better.
• But remember, these side effects are not
forever!
Hair loss… maybe yes, maybe no
• Some chemotherapy (chemo) drugs can cause hair loss, not a
very cool thing to happen. It will change the way you look and
how you feel about yourself. Don’t worry, you’re not going to
stay bald forever because your hair will grow again when you
finish treatment. Phew!
• What you can do to feel better:
– Imagine yourself without hair; it will be less of a shock when it
happens
– Cut your hair short, it might help you to get used to the hair loss
gradually
– Try different accessories, like a cap, beanies, bandannas or even a
wig
– Try loving your new look
– Remember… it is temporary!
Nausea and vomiting… yucks!
• After chemo, you may feel like throwing up (nausea) which of
course is a yucky feeling. It may also be difficult for your food to
stay in your stomach. Your doctor will give you some antinausea medicine to help you feel better. Take the medicine
before you begin your chemo. It helps!
• What you can do to feel better:
–
–
–
–
Have a vomit bag with you at all times
Cut food into bite-sized pieces to make it easier to swallow
Choose food which doesn’t have a strong smell
Try eating while watching your favourite TV programme or reading
a comic book. It’ll help to take your mind off the food.
Vomit
bag
Mouth or throat ulcers… ouch :(
• Chemo can cause ulcers in your mouth and
throat, also known as “mu-co-si-tis”. You may
also feel dryness in your mouth and find it hard
for food to go down your throat. It might hurt
when you drink too.
• What you can do to feel better:
– Drink through a straw
– Eat soft, smooth, blended food that are gentle to
your mouth
– Avoid rough and crunchy food like chips
– Make sure your mouth stays clean so that you
do not get an infection. Use a mouthwash after
every meal. A soft foam brush helps too.
Diarrhoea… “I got to go!!!”
• Diarrhoea is a common and uncomfortable side effect
of cancer treatment. It is when your faeces or poo is
soft and more watery. Your stomach will also feel
crampy and you’ll be saying, “I got to go!!!” rather
often. One more thing, you are most likely going to get
a sore butt. Ask your nurse for special cream or wipes
to help you feel better.
• What you can do to feel better:
– Drink! Drink! Drink! (but avoid milk)
– Eat small amounts of food
– Stay away from fried, greasy food
Loss of appetite… “Can I not eat?”
• Chemo can make you lose your appetite, which means that you
may not feel like eating. This will probably make your loved
ones worry. You’ve got to remind yourself that if you want to
fight the bad cells, your body has to stay strong. It’s important to
eat something.
• What you can do to feel better:
–
–
–
–
Eat small amounts of food
This is a good time for snacks and smaller frequent meals
Eat slowly and take breaks during meals
Get some fresh air if you can, it helps
Useful links for children/teens with
childhood cancer
Children
• http://www.royalmarsden.org/captchemo/
Teens
• http://www.2bme.org/2bMe.html
• http://www.teenslivingwithcancer.org/