Childhood cancer

Childhood cancer
Other namesPediatric cancer
A girl trying out hats to wear after chemotherapy against a Wilms' tumor[1]
SpecialtyPediatrics, oncology

Childhood cancer is cancer in a child. About 80% of childhood cancer cases in high-income countries can be successfully treated via modern medical treatments and optimal patient care.[2][3] However, only about 10% of children diagnosed with cancer reside in high-income countries where the necessary treatments and care is available.[4][5] Childhood cancer represents only about 1% of all types of cancers diagnosed in children and adults, It is often more complex than adult cancers with unique biological characteristics and research and treatment is yet very challenging and limited.[citation needed] For this reason, childhood cancer is often ignored in control planning, contributing to the burden of missed opportunities for its diagnoses and management in countries that are low- and mid-income.[6]

In the United States, an arbitrarily adopted standard of the ages used are 0–14 years inclusive, that is, up to 14 years 11.9 months of age.[7][8] However, the definition of childhood cancer sometimes includes adolescents between 15 and 19 years old.[8] Pediatric oncology is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in children.

  1. ^ "EBSCO database". URAC – via Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.
  2. ^ Botta L, Gatta G, Capocaccia R, Stiller C, Cañete A, Dal Maso L, et al. (December 2022). "Long-term survival and cure fraction estimates for childhood cancer in Europe (EUROCARE-6): results from a population-based study". The Lancet. Oncology. 23 (12): 1525–1536. doi:10.1016/s1470-2045(22)00637-4. PMID 36400102. S2CID 253602412.
  3. ^ Moskalewicz A, Martinez B, Uleryk EM, Pechlivanoglou P, Gupta S, Nathan PC (2024-01-25). "Late mortality among 5-year survivors of childhood cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis". Cancer. 130 (10): 1844–1857. doi:10.1002/cncr.35213. ISSN 0008-543X. PMID 38271115.
  4. ^ Rodriguez-Galindo C, Friedrich P, Alcasabas P, Antillon F, Banavali S, Castillo L, et al. (September 2015). "Toward the Cure of All Children With Cancer Through Collaborative Efforts: Pediatric Oncology As a Global Challenge". Journal of Clinical Oncology. 33 (27): 3065–3073. doi:10.1200/JCO.2014.60.6376. PMC 4979198. PMID 26304881.
  5. ^ "Cancer Incidence and Survival among Children and Adolescents: United States SEER Program 1975-1995". PsycEXTRA Dataset. 1999. doi:10.1037/e407432005-001. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  6. ^ Johnston WT, Erdmann F, Newton R, Steliarova-Foucher E, Schüz J, Roman E (April 2021). "Childhood cancer: Estimating regional and global incidence". Cancer Epidemiology. Childhood Cancer: A Global Perspective. 71 (Pt B): 101662. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2019.101662. PMID 31924557. S2CID 210150574.
  7. ^ Bahadur G, Hindmarsh P (January 2000). "Age definitions, childhood and adolescent cancers in relation to reproductive issues". Human Reproduction. 15 (1): 227. doi:10.1093/humrep/15.1.227. PMID 10611218.
  8. ^ a b "Childhood Cancers: Basic Facts & Figures". Minnesota Department of Health. Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2012.