The causes of childhood cancer
The causes
Despite a wealth of research, no one knows exactly what causes childhood cancer and why some children develop it and not others. Certain factors have been linked, but there is no definitive answer.
Therefore it is vital that we keep on funding research to help this condition to become better understood.
What we do know
Cancers in children are very different to cancers in adults. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, often their parents or carers worry that it is because of something they have done wrong. This is simply not the case.
Childhood cancer is not caused by lifestyle choices and parents are not at blame for their child’s cancer in any way.
Parents often also worry that other children that they have (or may have in the future) could also be affected. Reassuringly, this is incredibly rare because most children’s cancers are not inherited. This means it is very unlikely for families to have more than one child affected.
Cancer is not infectious, and it cannot spread from one person to another so you cannot catch cancer
Page last reviewed May 2023
