Types of childhood cancer
Childhood cancer classifications
Childhood cancer is often divided into two main types: Cancers that affect the blood and solid cancers. On average, a GP surgery will see a case of childhood cancer every 1.8 years.
Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer in the UK forming 30% of cases. Brain and spinal tumours are the second most common making up 26% of cases.
Solid tumours (including brain tumours) make up 60% of cases of childhood cancers, meaning a GP is statistically more likely to see a child with a solid tumour, than a child with leukaemia.
This is why it is so important to be aware of the symptoms and signs of all childhood cancers on a system-by-system basis.
Types of childhood cancer
There are 76 different types of childhood cancers. The types of cancers affecting children are quite different from the cancers that affect teenagers and young adults (TYA).
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, liver tumours and others.
Childhood cancer by type
There are 76 different types of childhood cancers. The types of cancers affecting children are quite different from the cancers that affect teenagers and young adults (TYA).
Please see the links below for further information and to explore the signs and symptoms that childhood cancers can present with.
