Cancer in pediatric patients: when to suspect it? When to be alarmed?

Abstract

Childhood cancer frequently presents in a non-specific manner, simulating other benign diseases. This fact, associated with its low incidence, difficults the suspicion and diagnosis of childhood cancer. Early diagnosis and prompt referral to a specialized center significantly reduce morbidity and mortality, improving the prognosis of the disease. There are many signs and symptoms that should alarm the physician and even family members, which are: pallor, long-lasting fever, headache, lymphadenopathy, bleeding, or bruising, marked weakness, masses, abnormal gait, ocular abnormalities, skeletal muscle pain, among others. Although these are usually nonspecific, it is important to detect early warning signs and red flags to improve survival in the pediatric population with this condition. Based on the literature, the objective of this review article is to characterize the clinical manifestations in the pediatric patient that suggest a rapid intervention and search for a neoplasm in the child.