Cuba maintains its commitment against children´s cancer

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 15 (ACN) Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Cuba and in the region of the Americas, and its diagnosis changes the lives of those who suffer from it, especially at an early age. Therefore, to raise awareness about the challenges faced by these children and adolescents and their families, every February 15 is commemorated as International Children's Cancer Day.

In the nation, between 300 and 400 infants are diagnosed with the disease every year, and they are guaranteed fast and timely treatment for their recovery in the shortest possible time, which has an impact on the high survival rates the country boasts, Dr. Caridad Verdecia Cañizares, head of the Oncology Service of the William Soler Pediatric Hospital, in this capital, told ACN.

The specialist in Pediatric Surgery I and II Degree and II Degree in Oncology also said that there are nine centers in the country for the treatment of minors.

There is one in the institution itself and the rest in the Pepe Portilla (Pinar del Río), Juan Manuel Márquez (Havana), José Luis Miranda (Villa Clara), Eduardo Agramonte Piña (Camagüey), Octavio de la Concepción y de la Pedraja (Holguín) and in the Pediátrico Sur (Santiago de Cuba) hospitals, in addition to the Hematology and Oncology and Radiobiology Institutes in the capital.

Verdecia Cañizares, head of the National Commission of Childhood Cancer, explained that the most frequent variants of the disease are related to leukemia (70 percent), lymphomas (Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's) and central nervous system tumors.

Likewise, he pointed out that at these ages they can also develop extra cranial solid tumors with neuroblastomas, nephrobastomas and bone and soft tissue sarcomas; while the least common ones are found in the liver, ovaries and pancreas.

He also commented that the procedure to be followed in children diagnosed with cancer includes chemotherapy sessions and surgery if necessary; and once they have recovered, they can continue their lives, always maintaining the corresponding medical care and follow-up.

As in adults, childhood cancer is one of the comorbidities that aggravates the situation of the patients when they contract SARS-CoV-2, hence Verdecia Cañizares insisted on the need to protect minors and not to expose them to queues or unnecessary outings.

She explained that the William Soler Hospital is one of the institutions that has not had any cases of COVID-19 in children with cancer, because the hygienic and sanitary measures were taken by both the health personnel and the family members.

The Pan American Health Organization refers that every year more than 400 thousand children are diagnosed with cancer in the world and in the region of the Americas it is estimated that in 2020 there were 32 thousand 65 new cases in children from 0 to 14 years of age; of these, 20
thousand 855 occurred in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Data from this international organization indicate that last year the disease caused the death of 8,544 children under 15 years of age and some 7,76 were from Latin America and the Caribbean.