Childhood Cancer Fact Library

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A comprehensive, well-documented and trusted source of information for anyone seeking data and statistics related to pediatric cancers.  The Fact Library team updates its listing annually so that it can continue to be instrumental in building awareness of the realities associated with diagnosis, treatment, remission, and survivorship.  

All statistics below are for U.S. children from birth through age 19 unless stated otherwise. This summary relies on the most recent published data with respect to its contents, some of which dates back one or more years.  Please note: Data is compiled each year and released at the end. 2025’s data will come next year. 2024 is the most current data available.

Latest Complete Data Year

The latest completed data year is 2024.

Questions? Who to Contact

Caitlinn Barrett

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Table of Contents

Supporting Fact Library Graphics

Diagnosis

Note: This section contains facts for four groups: Children (ages 0-14), Children and Adolescents (ages 0-19), Adolescents (ages 15-19), Adolescents and Young Adults (Ages 15-39)

First time Cancer Diagnosis for Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA’s) Ages 15 to 39

Survival

Pediatric Cancer 5-Year Relative Survival Percentage, Ages 0 to19 for years 2014 through 2021 for years 2014 through 2021:  The table below is a representation of the estimated 5-year survival rates for various types of childhood cancers. It should be noted the survival rates listed below reflect general rates and are in no way a representation of an anticipated actual survival outcome for any individual child. 1 Siegel RL, Kratzer TB, Giaquinto AN, Sung H, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2025. CA Cancer J Clin. 2025;75(1):10-45. doi:10.3322/caac.21871

Long Term Health-Effects Associated with Treatments & Survival

Factors Affecting Follow-up Care

Stakeholders GAO interviewed and studies GAO reviewed identified three factors that affect access to follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors—individuals of any age who were diagnosed with cancer from ages 0 through 19. 2Farb J, Kaczmarek S. Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Factors Affecting Access to Follow-up Care. US Government Accountability Office; 2020. https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-20-636r.pdf These factors are care affordability, survivors’ and health care providers’ knowledge of appropriate care, and proximity to care. Childhood cancer survivors need access to follow-up care over time for serious health effects known as late effects—such as developmental problems, heart conditions, and subsequent cancers—which result from their original cancer and its treatment. 

Affordability: Survivors of childhood cancer may have difficulty paying for follow-up care, which can affect their access to this care. For example, one study found that survivors were significantly more likely to have difficulty paying medical bills and delay medical care due to affordability concerns when compared to individuals with no history of cancer.

Knowledge: Survivors’ access to appropriate follow-up care for late effects of childhood cancer can depend on both survivors’ and providers’ knowledge about such care, which can affect access in various ways, according to stakeholders GAO interviewed and studies GAO reviewed:

    • Some survivors may have been treated for cancer at an early age and may have limited awareness of the need for follow- up care.
    • Some primary or specialty care providers may not be knowledgeable about guidelines for appropriate follow-up care, which can affect whether a survivor receives recommended treatment. Follow-up care may include psychosocial care (e.g., counseling), and palliative care (e.g., pain management).

 

Proximity: Survivors may have difficulty reaching appropriate care settings. Stakeholders GAO interviewed and studies GAO reviewed noted that childhood cancer survivors may have to travel long distances to receive follow-up care from multidisciplinary outpatient clinics—referred to as childhood cancer survivorship clinics. The lack of proximity may make it particularly difficult for survivors with limited financial resources to adhere to recommended follow-up care.

 Alarmingly, few childhood cancer survivors undergo recommended surveillance for late effects. Only about one-third of survivors adhered to monitoring recommendations for each late effect (cardiac, 36.1%; thyroid, 31.9%; breast, 36.4%). 3Milam J, Kim Y, Roth M, Freyer DR. Late effects surveillance adherence among young adult childhood cancer survivors: A population‐based study. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024;71(12):e31328. doi:10.1002/pbc.31328

Treatment & Research

Funding

NCI uses the NIH RePORTER, which is a congressionally mandated system all NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) used to report data by fiscal year (FY). This tool highlights annual support for various Research, Condition, and Disease Categories (RCDC) based on grants, contracts, and other funding mechanisms used across NIH. According to Office of Advocacy Relations, the NIH RePORTER does not account for the totality of NCI’s investment in a given area of research because basic science awards cannot be categorized by individual cancer type. Using Total NCI Obligations, without making allowances for NIH items included in the Pediatric Cancer Amount, would distort the percentage of Total Obligations.

Since we are unable to capture a completely accurate measure of childhood cancer research expenditure as it relates to total research dollars, perhaps a better method to measure progress may be to compare NIH RePORTER pediatric dollars (b) to the Total NIH Dollars (c) for each fiscal year. This method would show changes from one year to the next. Note that the chart below shows growth in pediatric cancer expenditures from 2016 to 2023.

Mortality

Drug Development

Global Facts

Psychosocial Care

Note: Psychosocial care addresses the effects that cancer treatment has on the mental health and emotional wellbeing of patients, their family members, and their professional caregivers. A single profession alone does not provide psychosocial care: Instead, every patient-healthcare provider interaction provides an opportunity to  assess the stressors and concerns of children and their family members.

Prevention

Disclaimer

THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFER SPECIFIC STATISTICS REGARDING AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT OR THE PATIENT’S SPECIFIC FORM OF CANCER AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION THAT MAY BE SOUGHT FROM A PHYSICIAN. IT IS MERELY INTENDED, BASED ON INFORMATION PRESENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE AUTHORS, TO BE A GOOD FAITH GENERAL PRESENTATION OF CHILDHOOD CANCER STATISTICS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL TO OTHERS SEEKING SUCH GENERAL INFORMATION.