subject: Retinoblastoma Symptoms [print this page] Retinoblastoma Symptoms Retinoblastoma Symptoms
This is the most common primary tumor of the eye in children. It arises from the retina. .The retina is a layer of nerve tissue that coats the back of the eye, which is important for vision of person. Retinoblasts (immature cells of the retina) multiply during gestation and early life, to make enough cells to create the retina. As child grows, these cells mature & no longer differentiate. If these immature retinoblasts turn into cancer cells, retinoblastoma develops, the cause of which is unknown.
Complementary therapies are increasingly integrated into mainstream cancer programs and centers. According to Harvard Medical School researchers, almost 12 percent of children and adolescents in the United States use complementary or alternative medicines, known as CAM. About 66 percent of children with Cancer use some type of CAM.
Although most studies have reported the effects of massage in adult patients, pediatric cancer patients also experience reduced pain after massage therapy. Massage is one of the most commonly used pain management strategies for pediatric patients newly diagnosed with leukemia.
The bone cancer causes are not quite clear despite the development of the medical sciences. The doctors can't really explain that why some one has it while the other person doesn't. Though, they can say for sure that bone cancer is not contagious. The doctors can't explain why, but they believe that if a person is exposed to certain risk factors, he could have or can develop that illness.
In many cancerous cells the ornamentation of DNA methylation are found to be altered. In some cases, the DNA of cancer cells is over methylated (hypermethylated) or undermethylated (hypomethylated). Hypermethylation is seen to contribute to cancer by silencing the expression of tumour suppressor genes.
However, hypomethylation also contributes to cancer requires further research. The role of DNA methylation is interesting because unlike other genetic changes DNA methylation is reversible. These types of reversible genetic alterations are called epigenetic processes.
The age of peak incidence of cancer in children occurs during the first year of life. Leukemia (usually ALL) is the most common infant malignancy (30%), followed by neuroblastoma and the central nervous system cancers. The remainder consists of lymphomas, Wilms' tumor, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma (arising from muscle), osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.
Certain genetic conditions like neurofibromatosis, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, retinoblastoma, etc. can augment the chances of developing tumors in the central nervous system. Genetic abnormalities causing brain tumors are rarely inherited. They are caused mainly due to various environmental factors and also due to various factors that can affect the genetic materials (like DNA) of the cells.
Many chemicals are present that can alter the genes involved in restraining the development of tumors. Workers working in rubber manufacturing factories, oil refineries or as chemists are precariously exposed to such chemicals.
The patient should be aware of all the possible treatments in details, so that he would be able to make a prudent decision about the same. The family should take care that the patient is not too depressed because of the situation, meeting other people with cancer, could help coping up with the cancer. A positive outlook is really important for any treatment to work. One needs to take all the precautions and treatment as directed by the doctor.
Symptoms:
1-A pupil that looks white or red instead of the usual black i.e. called as white or cat's eye reflex.
