Genital/Urinary Tumors
Genital/urinary
tumors include bladder cancer and ovarian cancer. These cancers are
discussed below.
Bladder Cancer
Bladder
cancer is extremely rare in children. The most common carcinoma to
involve the bladder is transitional cell carcinoma, which generally
presents with blood in the urine. The diagnosis and treatment of
bladder cancer are the same for children, adolescents, and adults.
Adolescents who develop this tumor are often prone to the
development of other cancers. Bladder cancer in adolescents may
develop as a late effect of certain chemotherapy drugs given for
other childhood tumors or leukemia.
Ovarian Cancer
Most
ovarian tumors in children are benign (noncancerous). The most
common cancers that affect the ovaries are of germ cell origin (beginning
in cells that give rise to sperm or eggs); these are more common in
children than in adults. Common symptoms of ovarian cancer include
painful periods and pain in the abdomen. Treatment is stage related
and may include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Carcinoma of the
Cervix and Vagina
Cancer of
the cervix and vagina is very rare in children and adolescents. Most
young patients diagnosed with cancer of the cervix or vagina were
exposed to a drug called diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth when
it was given to their mothers. DES was given to pregnant women
between 1945 and 1970 to keep them from losing their babies (miscarriage).
The most common symptom of cancer of the cervix or vagina is vaginal
bleeding. Treatment includes surgery followed by radiation and
possibly chemotherapy