Watch above: Childhood cancer is rare, so too is the need for radiation therapy. Meaghan Craig introduces us to a young cancer patient who is suffering some little-known side effects resulting from his treatments.
SASKATOON – Cancer in children is rare and survival rates among those diagnosed have climbed 80 to 85 per cent. In many cases however, the battle isn’t over especially among children treated with radiation therapy.
“Over the last 50 years or so fewer and fewer children have been given radiation therapy because we’ve become aware of all the different side effects and late complication unfortunately however there are some conditions where in addition to chemotherapy, radiation therapy is also necessary,” said Dr. Chris Mpofu, interim director of pediatric oncology for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency.
According to Mpofu, less than 10 to 20 percent of children diagnosed with cancer need radiation therapy. Conditions that would require it are brain tumours, cancers of the kidney as well as bone and soft tissues.
“Fortunately, the most common conditions that we see such as leukemia and lymphomas don’t need the use of radiation in the majority of cases.”
Unfortunately, in 10-year-old Micah’s case, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in September of 2013, he required intense radiation therapy followed by chemotherapy.
“They put tattoos on my back, like little circles so they could line up the beams,” said Micah, who is now cancer free.
Several months ago, Global News first spoke to Micah and since then his health has gradually improved.
READ MORE: Saskatoon family shares struggle with childhood cancer
“I have more hair, I just got a hair cut yesterday.”
“Micah may look good on the outside but on the inside his body is so damaged,” said Carolyn Anderson.
Micah is growing at an abnormally slow pace just 2 centimeters in the last year-and-a-half.
“You can definitely see his sister catching up to him, peers are taller than him so he’s aware of it.”
The ten-year-old also experiences nausea daily and vomits at least once a week.
“We were told to expect that to last for years.”
“I get really tired like if we go on walks, I have to stop for a bit and then I can go on,” said Micah.
In total, Micah received 31 radiation treatments for what doctors describe as the most common malignant brain tumour in children.
“It was really the only option to save his life and we had to do it,” explained Micah’s mom.
Late complications that can occur in children who have been treated for a brain tumour include impairment of growth and learning difficulties.
“Particularly in the younger children who’s brains are still developing there is a risk of difficulties with learning,” remarked Mpofu.
Generally all children being treated for brain tumours may be susceptible to this type of complication but children under the age of 10 are more vulnerable, more particularly children under the age of eight.
“Even with that range of one to eight, a one-year-old would be more susceptible than an eight year old.”
Children are affected different said Mpofu. Some would have difficulties with math, language or information processing.
According to Carolyn, “Micah, we’ve been starting to see that he’s struggling with math, easy concepts such as subtraction, adding, multiplying things that he could have easily done before he’s getting mixed up and confused and then division is quite difficult for him to catch onto.”
Children experiencing these difficulties are then referred to a neuropsychologist.
“What that does is basically test the children to identify more specifically exactly what areas of learning are affected and also to help us correlate .30 of those with the treatment. But more importantly it allows us to recommend to the school what kind of help would most benefit that child,” explained Mpofu.
Doctors say they do their best to prepare families for these potential complications.
“We do our best to address those issues right at the beginning before treatment starts, before we obtain consent for treatment, we always have fairly lengthy discussions with the families about what the potential complications would be.”
One of the harshest side effects is an increased risk of secondary cancers as a result of the radiation.
“I’m thankful that there is something but I hope that there can be something better in the future,” said Carolyn Anderson.
According to Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation less than four per cent of money raised for research goes toward childhood cancer.
“How can you find better treatment if that’s all you’re giving for them?”
For more information on how get involved or to make a donation you can visit the Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation.
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