About childhood cancer
Childhood cancer
Each year in the UK, there are over 4,000 children and young people diagnosed with cancer. Childhood cancer is not quite as rare as many of us may think.
Statistics tell us that on average, 1 child in every 450 will receive a diagnosis of cancer by the age of 15, so it is vital to be aware of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer and to know that it is not as rare as we may first think.
Positively, the outcomes of children and young people with cancer are improving all the time. Children who receive a diagnosis of cancer today are much more likely to do well compared to 20 years ago.
Survival rates are improving, with 5 years survival rates at 84% (compared to 30% in the 1960’s).
Statistics
49% of cases of childhood cancer occur in children aged 0-4 years
It is estimated that there are now over 35,000 childhood cancer survivors in the UK
There are over 1,800 cases of childhood cancer
There are over 2,300 cases of cancer in young people each year in the UK
Classification
Children and young people with cancer area grouped into two main categories according to their age. The age cut offs are a little different to those you may expect. This is because the types of cancer that children are most likely to have differ by age.
For the purposes of childhood cancer:
- A child is defined as being between 0 and 14 years of age
- A young person is defined as being between 15 and 24 years of age
There are 1,800 cases of childhood cancer a year in children and 2,600 cases a year in young people.
Childhood cancer classification
Childhood cancers can be grouped into 12 main categories.
These categories include: Leukaemia, brain and spinal tumours, lymphoma, soft tissue sarcomas, neuroblastoma, renal tumours, bone tumours, germ cell tumours, retinoblastomas, other carcinomas and melanomas, hepatic tumours and others.
Young people’s cancers
The three most common cancer types in young people are lymphomas, carcinomas and germ cell tumours.
Page reviewed October 2022
