Childhood cancer up to 750 a year; early referral will help cure, says Paediatrician

About 750 children are being reported with cancer annually from the country compared to the 500 recorded four or five years ago, Consultant Paediatrician Dr Deepal Perera said.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the Consultant Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH) said that the majority of childhood cancers could be cured if diagnosed and treated early rather than undergoing alternative treatments.

“Most of the recorded childhood cancers were recorded as leukaemia,” he said.

“By early detection, childhood cancers can be cured with the correct referral from the correct places. However, most of the adults seek alternative medicine, until late in the stage," Dr Perera said.

He said in addition to childhood cancers, there was an increase in reported cancer cases all around.

"Cancers affect people those who are above 20 years old, especially breast cancer. Therefore, mothers should continue with breastfeeding within the first six months after childbirth,” he said.

"Continuous breastfeeding reduces the cancer risk," he said.

"Most of the cancers were caused by smoking, consuming alcohol, and betel chewing. The majority of lung cancers among males are due to smoking. Passive smoking also causes cancer for others, even children.

Smoking can cause cancers from lips to the bladder. People who consume alcohol are susceptible to liver cancer, including cirrhosis.

“Other than betel-nut chewing, other ingredients can cause oral cancers, and all of these cancers are preventable,” Dr Perera said.

He also noted that short-eats could lead to obesity which in turn could lead to cancer. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)