Written by Aaron Funnell
Edited by Savannah Burns
When one hears about cancer, there are often a few that come to mind such as: breast, lung, skin, and leukemia. These variants make up a large majority of the cancer awareness headlines and get the most attention. However, there are a plethora of lesser known cancers that pose unique challenges to patients, caregivers, and cancer research teams at large. The medical community must understand these variants to properly detect and treat these types, as well as improving the support system for suffering patients. Throughout this article, we will explore several types of these obscure cancers.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma affects the lining of internal organs, most commonly being the lining of the lungs. This cancer is linked directly to asbestos exposure. In the year 2013, roughly 125 million workers would have been exposed to asbestos in one way or another. Around 80% of mesothelioma cases are linked to asbestos. In 2015 around 60,800 people were diagnosed with this cancer, and of that number 32,000 people passed away because of it. This cancer is particularly hard to detect and diagnose because of its asymptomatic tendencies. Symptoms that have been linked to mesothelioma are shortness of breath, chest pain, drowsiness, and weight loss. Often these symptoms are linked to other types of cancer as well. Treatment is limited, but includes a combination of radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy. But more often than not, prevention methods are more encouraged than treatment. Reducing asbestos exposure is the top priority in the preventative measures.
Ewing Sarcoma
Found mostly in children and young adults, Ewing (yoo-ing) sarcoma is a bone cancer that typically starts in the legs and pelvis, and works its way up to any other bone in the body. Roughly 1 in every 34,130 children per year is diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. Symptoms include: pain and swelling in the area of infection, a lump in the area of infection, fever with no noticeable causes, and broken bones, appearing to happen without cause. Treatment can include stem cell transplants and chemotherapy. The survival rate is 70% but the excessive treatment on the site of infection can lead to health complications later on in the future.
Image courtesy of Haus Christian
Hepatoblastoma
This is a malignant liver cancer that occurs within the first 3 years of a human's life. Hepatoblastoma is often caused by a buildup of excess fetal liver cells that remain in the infant’s body after birth. Symptoms often remain asymptomatic/unnoticeable until it is in late stage advancement. And so, a late diagnosis is the norm. Because the cancer occurs in a very young child, diagnoses can be difficult to make, but common symptoms include swelling in the abdomen, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Most often, a liver transplant is necessary for treatment. In 2019 the survival rate for children infected with hepatoblastoma was 81.5%
Image courtesy of National Institute of Health
Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma is a type of brain tumor that is often extremely aggressive. Despite this being one of the most common types of malignant brain tumor, it only affects 1 in every 20,000 people per year. Glioblastoma makes up 15% of brain tumors. Due to its placement in the brain, surgery is often difficult to accomplish. Additionally, this type of cancer is highly resistant to conventional methods of treatment. This type of cancer is typically caused by a genetic disorder and in some cases is brought on from previous radiation therapy. Glioblastoma is hard to diagnose, with its initial symptoms near nonexistent. Some common symptoms that occur later in the course of the cancer can include nausea, headaches, and memory loss. Treatment for glioblastoma often uses a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Challenges of lesser-known cancers
One challenge of lesser-known cancers is the late-stage detection/diagnosis. When the cancer is less known, it often falls unnoticed during routine checks. Because of this, the cancer is given more time to infect and spread within the body.
Additionally, there could be less funding in these fields. Because these cancers are rarer, better treatment methods could be much slower to come, as one could assume that it isn’t as prominent and important as a more widely known cancer. However, because these cancers don’t have many thorough treatment plans, it is likely that they will not be dealt with in a timely manner, necessitating funding and treatments.
Image courtesy of Epic Enterprise
What can we do?
It is up to us to advocate for better treatment across all types of cancer, whether common or rare. The solution is not to take away funding from the more prevalent cancers. Instead, the goal could be to provide more evenly distributed funds across fields. Regardless of the prominence of the cancer, the people suffering through it are going through similar pain as those that have well-known cancers. By raising awareness and improving research and detection, we can strive for better outcomes for the less common but just as impactful types of cancer.
References
Creo, A. (2022, January 7). Ewing sarcoma. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ewing-sarcoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20351071
Selchick, F. (2021). 10 rare cancers: Symptoms, treatment, and more. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/rare-cancers
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