Childhood cancer ‘does not lead’ to breast cancer

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

A paediatric oncologist in Dubai said no link has so far been established with regard to breast cancer and childhood cancer.

Dr. Nancy Israel was interviewed on the sidelines of the Monday launch of the 10th year of the month-long “Pink It Now” breast cancer awareness campaign of the Zulekha Healthcare Group in Dubai. She was among the panellists on the discussions for the continuing cancer educational and early detection initiative conducted at the Zulekha Hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah. The other panel members were Medical Oncology consultant Dr. Soha Abdelbaky, Medical Oncology specialists Dr. Nidha Iqbal and Dr. Mohamed Elbassyouny Alawy, Radiology specialist Dr. Swati Chandrashekher Pacharne, and Clinical psychologist Arathi Vijayan.

Israel said she has no breast cancer patient, from the panel discussion that was moderated on by colleague Surgical Oncology specialist Dr. Fadi Alnehlaoui.

On the sidelines, Israel said childhood cancers do not lead to or result in breast cancer. She stressed: “Even if metastasised childhood cancers have consequently affected the breasts of children ages zero to 19.”

Israel with 10 years of experience in the UAE said: “Ninety per cent of all childhood cancers are genetic mutations. Less than 10 per cent are hereditary.”

“No, not even environmental factors (have been proved to cause childhood cancers). Cancers manifest after a number of years. After so many years. So we cannot say that childhood cancers (are due to what children have been exposed to or are exposed to). In the first place, they are children and so only not long enough to say that their cancers have been caused by environmental factors,” she added, in reply to the enquiry on whether childhood cancers are consequences of the meals and food, among others, that children are oriented to.

Israel continued: “My advice for parents is not to blame themselves. Abnormalities happen in the genes. If they see any abnormality in a period of two weeks or if signs and symptoms (keep on recurring even if medications have been administered), they must immediately seek (guidance from the doctor), a second opinion.”

Based on her 10-year journey as a cancer doctor for children, the most prevalent ones she has encountered are cases of leukaemia; brain tumour; lymphoma (the cancer of the lymphatic system that includes the lymph glands, spleen, thymus gland and bone marrow that helps fight germs and other disease-causing microorganisms with the signs and symptoms as fever, persistent tiredness, night sweats among others.