Cancer Facts

Childhood Cancer Statistics

Overview

• Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer and the third leading cause of death in children, following accidents and guns. (NBC News)

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Every school day, approximately 43 young people or two classes of students are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. (curesearch.org)
• Annually, more than 12,500 children are diagnosed with cancer and over 40,000 children undergo treatment. (curesearch.org)
• The average age of children diagnosed is 6 years old. (curesearch.org)

Survival and Impact

• 1 out of 8 children diagnosed with cancer do not survive each year, representing 12%. (curesearch.org)
• The overall survival rate has increased from 10% to nearly 90% over the last 40 years. (curesearch.org)
• 60% of survivors face late effects such as infertility, heart failure, and secondary cancers. (curesearch.org)

Prevalence and Demographics

• Cancer in children occurs regularly, randomly, and affects all ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, and geographic regions.
• The incidence of cancer among adolescents and young adults is rising faster than in any other age group, except those over 65.

Survivors and Research

• There are approximately 375,000 adult survivors of childhood cancer in the U.S., equivalent to 1 in 530 adults aged 20-39. (curesearch.org)
• In the last 20 years, only 4 cancer treatments have been specifically developed and approved for children. (curesearch.org)

School and Community Impact

• The average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients.
• The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown, and currently, childhood cancer cannot be prevented.