Leukemia or cancer of the blood cells is found in the bone marrow. Leukemia can be acute or chronic depending on the stage of diagnosis. Brain cancer or brain tumor is a mass or growth due to abnormal cells present in brain or near the brain.
In 1999, one-third of the patients died due to leukemia while one-fourth died of brain cancer. According to National Center for Health Statistics or NCHS, in 2014, leukemia is ousted by brain cancer as the leading cause of death of the children. Surprisingly, the survival rate of patients with leukemia improved, making brain cancer the deadliest among them.
Sally Curtin, the lead author of the report, said, "It's a milestone moment, a kind of changing of guard." In their report, they found the survival rate of leukemia increased and even if brain cancer is a top killer, the reduction of the death rate was unanticipated. As a matter of fact, 20 percent from of the fatality rate from 1999 to 2014 dropped, as stated on NCHS report.
Curtin explained that even if the fatal outcome rate of leukemia is decreasing, the death rate of brain cancer remains to be stubbornly stable. Dr. Andrew Kung, chairman of pediatrics in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, also stated: "We've continued to cure a growing percentage of children with leukemia."
Due to continuous research on finding cure for leukemia, the medical team in America managed to help kids and adolescent teens to have a healthy life and soon to have a cancer-free life. But the sad news is they are still looking for medical development in brain cancer.
David Arons, CEO of National Brain Tumor Society explained, "The reason these patients now face the highest mortality rates is because while other areas of research have made great strides in recent years, pediatric brain tumor research has not generated advances that have translated into meaningful clinical benefit for these vulnerable patients."
It is very significant that 90 percent of the kids are being cured and cancer-free. These almost positive results from curing cancer in children are raising hopes for them and their families. Though there are many questions unanswered about the discovering treatments against brain cancer. It will be a long way ahead, but there are people who remain true to their work and dedicated in helping not only the kids but also others who are slowly losing faith in having a healthy life.
