Cancer in Children and Adolescents fact sheet - National Cancer Institute

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Cancer in Children and Adolescents fact sheet - National Cancer Institute

Cancer in Children and Adolescents

Key Points

• Childhood cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death among children and adolescents (ages 1 to 19 years) in the United States, although cancer among children is rare.
• The causes of childhood cancer are not well understood.
• Survival rates for most childhood cancers vary widely across cancer types. Survival rates for some cancers have improved in recent years, and, overall, more than 80 percent of children and adolescents who are diagnosed with cancer live at least 5 years after their diagnosis. However, for some childhood cancer types, survival rates remain low.
• Children and adolescents who have been treated for cancer need regular follow-up care for the rest of their lives because they are at risk of late side effects that can occur many years later, including second cancers.