Child actor, Rahul Koli of India's official entry to the Oscars 2023, Chhello Show or Last Film Show fame, passed away on October 2. Rahul was only 10 and died of leukemia at a cancer hospital in Ahmedabad.

Just a few days back, the Film Federation of India declared Chhello Show as the country’s official entry to the 95th Academy Awards.  The film is directed by the US-based filmmaker, Pan Nalin. The film is basically a story of a boy growing up in Saurashtra and discovering the magic of movies. The film is set to release on the 14th of October. Let’s get a deeper knowledge of what leukemia is. 

Childhood Leukemia

Childhood leukemia is the most common type of cancer found in children and teens. It is a cancer of white blood cells. White blood cells help the body fight infection and other diseases. Abnormal white blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. These abnormal cells start destroying other healthy cells of the body gradually. Thus, the body loses its immunity and strength to fight against infections.

The exact cause of childhood leukemia is not known yet but experts believe that certain risk factors may increase the possibility of contracting it.  

Risk factors of Leukemia

• An inherited disorder like Down Syndrome
• An inherited immune system problem
• Identical twins having leukemia
• Exposure to high levels of radiation or chemotherapy in the past
• A history of immune system suppression such as organ transplant

The most common type of leukemia in children is Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). 3 out of 4 cases of childhood leukemia are because of this. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is the next common type. 

Common symptoms of Childhood leukemia

• Headache
• Bleeding
• Infections
• Seizures
• Fatigue
• Coughing
• Breathing difficulties
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach ache
• Weight loss
• Anemia
• Bone or joint pain
• Bruising

The survival rates of most types of childhood leukemia have gone up. Childhood cancers tend to respond to treatment better than adult cancers. Before starting cancer treatment, many times the child may require treatment for secondary infections with antibiotics and other medicines. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for childhood leukemia. The child may also be given targeted therapy.  This treatment targets the specific cell’s organ. Other options are radiation therapy. When standard treatment is not effective, stem cell transplant is also the option left.