Warriors and Survivors

 

 Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 20

I am Rukh Yusuf, Clinical Pharmacist, also specialized in Total Parenteral Nutrition and Bone Marrow Transplant. I have been working in Pediatric Oncology unit of a public hospital for several years. The mission of this blog is to bring to you the real-life stories of child patients suffering from cancer. Cancer is still a difficult disease to handle and treat. However, when it strikes the children, some so young that they cannot even speak, their agony is beyond expression and words. Let us pray especially for children suffering from cancer for early and complete remission. May Allah shower His Merciful Blessings upon them. Aameen.

 

“To feel intensely is not a symptom of weakness…”

Highly sensitive people are too often perceived as weaklings or damaged goods. To feel too intensely is not a symptom of weakness, it is the trademark of the truly alive and compassionate people. Sensitivity is a symbol of strength.

My today’s warrior is symbol of sensitivity and strength who is only 10 years old. Aqeel has gone through too much in just ten years of his life. He has been operated for cholecystectomy and for abdominal mass four months ago. His stomach got gangrenous, and he had to undergo another surgery for stomach resection.  Aqeel is suffering from Colon Cancer (CA Colon). He has received three cycles of chemo so far and still under treatment.

CA Colon is a cancer that can occur anywhere along the colon (large intestine). Colon carcinoma (adenocarcinoma of colon) in children, although rarely discovered, comprises approximately 1% of pediatric neoplasms. It is also the most common primary gastrointestinal malignancy in children.  However, due to the low awareness of the disease, diagnosis is usually delayed until the disease is in the advanced stage, causing prognosis to be extremely poor compared with that of adults.

Colon carcinomas are diagnosed in stages 0 to IV, depending on how severe the disease is. At stage 0, the cancer is still contained within the immediate area where it is formed. By stage IV, the cancer has spread outside the colon or rectum to at least one other organ.

Childhood adenocarcinoma of colon most often affects children with a family history of these cancers and with an inherited condition called familial intestinal polyposis, if the small-intestine polyps (growths) are cancerous

Symptoms of colon carcinoma include pain in the abdomen (belly), Constipation or diarrhea. A lump in the abdomen, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite and blood in the stool.

Colorectal carcinoma treatment is based mainly on the stage when the cancer is diagnosed. For the best chance of a complete cure, the tumor must be completely removed by surgery. If the tumor is too large to start with, chemotherapy and/or radiation may be used to try to shrink it.

Stage 0 - If the cancer is small enough, surgeons may remove the tumor along with any precancerous polyps (growths) that may be present. If the tumor is large, surgeons may take out the affected section of the colon or rectum and sew the remaining parts back together.

Stage I - Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the cancer along with a small amount of tissue in the area. For most patients, no other treatment is needed.

Stages II and III - Surgeons may remove the affected section of the colon or rectum and sew the remaining parts back together.

Stage III - Chemotherapy may be added following surgery.

Stage IV - Treatment may include Surgery to remove the cancer, along with the tissue around the cancer. The surgeon will then sew the remaining parts back together and remove parts of other organs to which the cancer has spread. Chemotherapy (“chemo”) is used to shrink the tumor before surgery and to treat any remaining cancer. Chemo uses powerful medicines to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing (dividing) and making more cancer cells.

 

The five-year survival rate for adults is about 90% for stage I, 75% for stage II, 60% for stage III and less-than 10% for stage IV. The rarity of colon cancer in patients less than 20 years old makes it hard to figure survival rates. Most information suggests that younger patients often have stage III or IV disease by the time they are diagnosed.

Aqeel belongs to Multan, His father was doing a private job, but Covid and his disease left him jobless. Aqeel has three sisters and two brothers, He is in middle. He was a student of class six when he got disease, but he told with heavy heart that he could not continue his education due to his disease and treatment. His little pure heart is too much worried for the job of his father and studies of his siblings and him. Aqeel is sensitive but strong. He is too sensitive towards his family and aims to support his father after his recovery. He said he did not feel hunger when he comes to hospital. His sensitivity has taken over his carefree childhood. He does not like to play or eat like other children.

Prayers for Aqeel’s early recovery and his family. Aameen

 

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity