Early diagnosis of cancer in children and adolescents: Interactive quick reference guide

Early diagnosis of cancer in children and adolescents is essential to increasing survival rates and improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Detecting cancer at an early stage allows for prompt medical intervention, significantly improving treatment outcomes and reducing long-term complications. However, achieving early diagnosis requires well-trained healthcare professionals, standardized protocols, and increased awareness among caregivers and communities. This interactive guide has been developed as part of the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, led by the Pan American Health Organization and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It provides up-to-date and practical tools for healthcare teams to recognize the early warning signs of childhood cancer, classify symptoms based on urgency, and take appropriate action. 

The guide includes clear steps for assessing patients, determining the necessary level of intervention—immediate, priority, or scheduled—and ensuring timely referral to specialized centers. In addition to symptom classification, the guide offers essential information on the most common types of childhood cancer, available diagnostic methods, complementary studies, and key progress indicators for monitoring patient outcomes. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the diagnostic capabilities of medical teams and reduce delays that can negatively impact survival rates. By strengthening healthcare professionals’ ability to detect childhood cancer early, this guide supports the global objective of increasing survival rates to 60 percent by 2030. Through improved recognition of early symptoms, better coordination of patient referrals, and enhanced decision-making processes, it contributes to saving more lives and ensuring better long-term care for children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer.