Epress.am News from Armenia
As in the rest of the world so too in Armenia — the number of cancer cases is growing year by year. There is also an increase in in the rate of childhood cancer, pediatric oncologist Grigor Badalyan told journalists in the Armenian capital today.
According to him, there are 90–100 cases of cancer among children annually.
“There are no exact figures as to how many of these are fatal, but about 60–70% are cured,” he said.
The most common cancer seen among children is leukemia, which accounts for about 30% of all cases. The second most common is cancer of the lymphatic system (20–25%) and the third, brain tumors.
“There are fewer preventative measures among children. I can give a bit of advice: live a healthy lifestyle. Women should refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking and stay away from sources of radiation,” he said, adding that the likelihood of giving birth to children with cancer depends on not only the mother’s lifestyle but also her age. There is a greater likelihood of having a child with cancer if the mother is between 30 and 40 years old, he said, according to statistics.
The increase in cancer rates, the oncologist continued, is also due to environmental pollution and the poor quality of food.
Feb. 15 is the International Childhood Cancer Day. According to the International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organizations (ICCCPO), each year, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and about 90,000 die from the disease.