- Most cases of childhood cancer are difficult for general practitioners to diagnose due to non-specific symptoms.
- The ISSSTE has the Golden Code and Zero Rejection strategies to address this public health problem.
- To combat the problem, 1,700 health professionals were trained, mainly first contact, to achieve timely detection.
The child cancer It has become a public health problem in Mexico due to its high incidence. Therefore, a priority is timely detection in patients in order to start the appropriate treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, the chances of cure decrease and a fatal outcome can occur.
During the Medical Conference on Pediatric Oncology for Health Personnel “What we should know”, held at the National Medical Center (CMN) “November 20”, the Institute of Security and Social Services of State Workers (Issste) trained 1,700 workers, mainly from the first level of carereported the CEO, Pedro Zenteno Santaella.
In the commemorative framework of September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. leading cause of death by disease in the population aged 1 to 19 in Mexico and the world, the head of Issste reiterated the commitment to strengthen institutional strategies to increase detection and timely care, because they are pathologies that cannot be prevented in those ages.
The head professor of the academic event and head of the Pediatric Oncology Service of the CMN “November 20”, Farina Esther Arreguín González, highlighted that the purpose of these sessions was to contribute to achieve 80 percent survival for infants and youth with cancer. For this, the dissemination of knowledge by experts is essential.
Results of the Golden Code strategy
From the hospital auditorium, he emphasized the achievements of the protocol for Golden Code and the Zero Rejection policy, promoted by the authorities of the CMN “November 20” and the Health Regulatory Directorate, as well as the delivery by the Issste of the first work licenses to fathers and mothers with daughters or sons affected by cancer, to provide care and attention in your treatment process.
With the strategy of Zero Rejectionthe Issste guarantees that each and every pediatric patient at risk of cancer has rapid access to the services indicated for their prompt evaluation and possible detection, in addition to timely treatment.
He mentioned that the Golden Code It is a protocol of high priority and prompt attention to patients from zero to 18 years old detected with suspected cancer in any medical unit of the institute in the country.
“With this measure we managed to reduce the time it takes for a patient to access a cancer diagnosis and go from an average of 120 days to 17 today.”
Symptoms warning signs in patients
One of the most emphasized aspects of the Conference on Pediatric Oncology that took place from September 12 to 14, in person and virtually, was the importance of raising awareness among health personnel and the population in general about the warning signs of childhood cancer risk. Until now, in 90 percent they are nonspecific, insidious in onset, and can mimic other diseases.
He recommended staying alert for symptoms such as excessive night sweats, weight loss, bone and joint pain, progressive paleness, fatigue, tiredness or apathy without apparent cause, persistent or recurrent fever, that is, that lasts several days and does not yield to common treatments.
Also if there are frequent nosebleeds or gums when brushing, red or purple spots on the skin (petechiae) or bruises for no apparent reason, irregular growth of the abdomen, progressive growth of small balls (ganglions) in the neck, armpits or groin, especially if they are hard, large, free from infection and do not give way with anti-inflammatories.
Other signs are abnormal growth of any part of the body, white reflex in the pupil, gaze deviation or volume increase in one or both eyes, persistent headache, which worsens, does not subside with medication, wakes the patient, associated with nausea or vomiting and may be accompanied by behavioral changes or neurological disturbances (dizziness, involuntary movements, convulsions, pins and needles, loss of balance, imbalance when walking and/or loss of sensation).
The detection of one or more of these signs warrants referring patients to a specialized assessment in pediatric oncology which, if a positive diagnosis of cancer results, could increase the chances of survival of the disease.
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