4 Misleading Myths About Cancer in Children, Read Bro!!

1. Myth: Cancer in children occurs because children do not exercise enough

This myth appears quite often because people are used to linking cancer with lifestyle. It is true that in adults, various types of cancer are related to certain habits, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, or an unhealthy diet. However, this condition cannot be confused with cancer in children.

In fact, most cancers in children are not caused by lifestyle. Children generally have not had exposure to the risk factors that have been causing cancer in adults for decades. Most childhood cancers arise due to genetic disorders that occur during the process of cell growth and division. This chaos generally occurs spontaneously and is not the result of parents’ mistakes or children’s habits.

For this reason, children who exercise regularly can still experience cancer, as can children who are very active playing outside the home. On the other hand, lack of exercise is not the main cause of cancer in children.

However, exercise still has enormous benefits. Physical activity helps maintain fitness, helps bone and muscle growth, improves heart health, and supports children’s mental health. In fact, in children undergoing cancer therapy, light physical activity as recommended by doctors often helps maintain body function and improve quality of life.

So, exercise is still important, but that doesn’t mean exercise can prevent all cancers in children.

2. Myth: The only cancers in children are leukemia and brain cancer

The next myth arises because leukemia and brain cancer are the most frequently reported. Many people end up thinking that only two types of cancer can attack children.

In fact, the medical world knows many types of cancer in children. Leukemia is indeed the most common childhood cancer. After that, there are tumors of the brain and central nervous system which are also quite common in children.

However, apart from these two cancers, there are various other types of cancer, including Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, Wilms’ tumor (nephroblastoma), osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, hepatoblastoma, germ cell tumors, and various other types of soft tissue sarcoma.

Each cancer has a different biological cause, location, symptoms, examination and treatment. For example, retinoblastoma attacks the eyes and is often characterized by a white reflection in the pupil when photographed using a flash. Meanwhile, Wilms’ tumor develops in the kidneys and usually causes abdominal enlargement.

Because the symptoms are so varied, parents need to pay attention to signs that persist, such as prolonged fever without an apparent cause, unusual bruising, lumps that continue to grow, persistent bone pain, headaches accompanied by vomiting especially in the morning, or unexplained weight loss. All of these symptoms are not necessarily cancer, but they are still worth checking by a health professional if they persist.

3. Myth: Cancer in children cannot be cured

This is the most dangerous myth, because it can destroy the family’s hopes even before treatment begins. In fact, advances in medical science have increased the cure rate for childhood cancer tremendously. Many developed countries report that more than 80% of children with cancer survive at least 5 years after diagnosis, and most of them can live normal lives into adulthood.

Why is the cure rate for childhood cancer actually better than for many adult cancers? One reason is that cancer cells in children are generally more responsive to chemotherapy than various cancers in adults. In addition, children usually do not have comorbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, or organ damage due to the aging process, so their bodies are often able to tolerate treatment better.

Of course, the success of therapy is still influenced by various factors, such as the type of cancer, the stage of the disease when it is discovered, the child’s health condition, and the speed of obtaining appropriate treatment. For this reason, early diagnosis is very important. The sooner cancer is found, the greater the chance of successful therapy.

Currently, childhood cancer treatment is also much more complete than several decades ago. Apart from chemotherapy, there is surgery, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy for certain types of cancer, and stem cell transplantation for appropriate conditions.

In other words, a diagnosis of cancer in a child no longer means there is no hope. Many children successfully complete treatment, return to school, play with their friends, and grow into healthy adults.

4. Myth: Boys are more susceptible to cancer than girls

The last myth arises because some types of cancer are more often found in boys. For example, leukemia and some types of brain tumors are reported to be slightly more common in boys than girls. This fact is true based on epidemiological data.

However, the conclusion that all childhood cancers more often attack men is an erroneous assumption. Several other types of cancer are more common in girls. Examples are retinoblastoma and Wilms’ tumor which in a number of studies show a slightly higher distribution in girls or do not have significant differences between the sexes.

Overall, experts state that gender is not the main risk factor for cancer in children. Unlike some cancers in adults which are strongly influenced by hormones or certain behaviors, most childhood cancers arise due to biological changes that are not directly related to whether a child is a boy or a girl. This means that every child has the possibility of developing cancer if certain genetic changes occur in their body cells.

Therefore, parents should not feel safer just because their child is a girl or more worried just because their child is a boy. What is much more important is recognizing symptoms early and immediately consulting if there are suspicious complaints.

CLOSURE

Gansist, myths often sound convincing, but they are not necessarily true. In the case of childhood cancer, believing wrong information can actually hinder diagnosis and treatment.

Four important facts to remember are as follows:

1) Cancer in children is not caused by lack of exercise or an unhealthy lifestyle.

2) Leukemia and brain cancer are the most common, but there are many other types of childhood cancer.

3) Cancer in children is not a disease that always ends badly. Thanks to advances in modern medicine, cure rates continue to increase and are even higher than many cancers in adults.

4) Boys and girls can both experience cancer, so vigilance must be given to all children regardless of gender.

Ultimately, correct knowledge is one of the best forms of support for children who are battling cancer. The more people understand scientific facts, the greater the chances of children getting a quicker diagnosis, appropriate treatment and a better quality of life.

SOURCE

American Cancer Society. (2025). Cancer in children. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/…-children.html

National Cancer Institute. (2024). Childhood cancers. https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers

World Health Organization. (2021). Cancer in children. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-s…er-in-children

Ward, E., DeSantis, C., Robbins, A., Kohler, B., & Jemal, A. (2014). Childhood and adolescent cancer statistics, 2014. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 64(2)83-103.

Pizzo, P. A., & Poplack, D. G. (Eds.). (2021). Principles and Practice of Pediatric Oncology(8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. (2024). Childhood cancer. https://www.stjude.org/disease/child…od-cancer.html