Childhood Cancers

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <script>window.CDEConfig = { "exitDisclaimerHref":{ "en":"\/policies\/linking", "es":"\/espanol\/politicas\/enlaces" }, "showFloatingDelighters":true, "environmentConfig":{ }, "glossaryConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/glossary\/v1\/" }, "drugDictionaryConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/drugdictionary\/v1\/" }, "ctsConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/clinicaltrialsapi.cancer.gov\/api\/v2", "printApiBase":"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/CTS.Print", "zipConversionEndpoint":"\/cts_api\/zip_code_lookup" }, "r4rConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/r4r\/v1" }, "general":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov", "mediaServer":"https:\/\/nci-media.cancer.gov" }, "sitewideSearchConfig":{ "bestBetsApiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/bestbets\/v1\/", "searchApiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/sitewidesearch\/v1\/" }, "chartData": { "factBook": { "baseUrl": "\/about-nci\/budget\/fact-book", "dataType": "json" } } };</script> <script id="ncids-nav-info">window.ncidsNavInfo = { nav: { id: "921989", menu_type: "section-nav"}, item_id: 921989};</script> <meta name="description" content="Information about the common types of pediatric cancers, the latest treatments, where to go for treatment, and where to find information about coping and survivorship." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers" /> <meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en" /> <meta name="robots" content="index" /> <meta property="og:type" content="Website" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Childhood Cancers" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Information about the common types of pediatric cancers, the latest treatments, where to go for treatment, and where to find information about coping and survivorship." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.cancer.gov/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_social_media/public/cgov_image/media_image/2020-09/mother-of-african-descent-cuddles-her-child-who-has-cancer.jpg" /> <meta name="cgdp.domain" content="cgov" /> <meta name="cgdp.template" content="default" /> <meta name="dcterms.subject" content="Cancer Types" /> <meta name="dcterms.type" content="cgvArticle" /> <meta name="dcterms.coverage" content="nciglobal,ncienterprise" /> <meta name="dcterms.isPartOf" content="Childhood Cancers" /> <meta name="dcterms.isReferencedBy" content="event1" /> <meta name="dcterms.issued" content="05/13/2015 - 08:00" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/favicon.ico" sizes="32x32"/> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/favicon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png"/> <link rel="manifest" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/site.webmanifest"/> <meta name="x-no-op" content="none" /> <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org)" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, user-scalable=yes, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1" /> <script id="cgov-adobe-url" type="text/javascript" src="//assets.adobedtm.com/6a4249cd0a2c/949e98979342/launch-5f2a5357bf66.min.js" async="async"></script> <script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "name": "National Cancer Institute (.gov)", "url": "https://www.cancer.gov" } ] }</script> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://www.cancer.gov/espanol/tipos/infantil" /> <title>Childhood Cancers - NCI</title> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://static.cancer.gov" /> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Open+Sans:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,600;0,700;1,300;1,400;1,600;1,700&family=Poppins:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,500;0,600;1,300;1,400;1,500;1,600&family=Roboto+Mono:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,700;1,300;1,400;1,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="Cancer.gov" /> <meta name="application-name" content="Cancer.gov" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/css/css__PELtEEB3In3MkAUrd5CCnXnH_j1B8LQcfC-08T-0JE.css?delta=0&language=en&theme=ncids_trans&include=eJxFyDEOwCAIAMAPGXmSQSGVRCkBHPx9x954cSN5Q8fgYuj4ONoMID-Gq_5Tj9rpS2IyFdaUvI13Z4KBlvJq0SEULR01AD1lLP4AvZMkvQ" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/css/ncids-common.css?smm34w" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/css/article.css?smm34w" /> <script>var w=window;if(w.performance||w.mozPerformance||w.msPerformance||w.webkitPerformance){var d=document;AKSB=w.AKSB||{},AKSB.q=AKSB.q||[],AKSB.mark=AKSB.mark||function(e,_){AKSB.q.push(["mark",e,_||(new Date).getTime()])},AKSB.measure=AKSB.measure||function(e,_,t){AKSB.q.push(["measure",e,_,t||(new Date).getTime()])},AKSB.done=AKSB.done||function(e){AKSB.q.push(["done",e])},AKSB.mark("firstbyte",(new Date).getTime()),AKSB.prof={custid:"855684",ustr:"",originlat:"0",clientrtt:"0",ghostip:"23.50.232.172",ipv6:false,pct:"10",clientip:"8.222.208.146",requestid:"7295bd2",region:"40747",protocol:"",blver:14,akM:"dscb",akN:"ae",akTT:"O",akTX:"1",akTI:"7295bd2",ai:"547368",ra:"false",pmgn:"",pmgi:"",pmp:"",qc:""},function(e){var _=d.createElement("script");_.async="async",_.src=e;var t=d.getElementsByTagName("script"),t=t[t.length-1];t.parentNode.insertBefore(_,t)}(("https:"===d.location.protocol?"https:":"http:")+"//ds-aksb-a.akamaihd.net/aksb.min.js")}</script> </head> <body class="has-translated-content"> <a href="#main-content" class="usa-skipnav"> Skip to main content </a> <div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas> <section id="usa-banner" class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official government website"> <header class="usa-banner__header"> <div class="usa-banner__inner"> <div class="usa-banner__header-text"> An official website of the United States government </div> <a href="/espanol/tipos/infantil" id="lang-toggle" class="usa-button usa-button--nci-small" hreflang="es">Español</a> </div> </header> </section> <header id="nci-header" class="nci-header nci-header--megamenu" data-base-path="/"> <div class="nci-header__navbar"> <div class="nci-logo" id="extended-mega-logo"> <a href="/" aria-label="National Cancer Institute Home Page"> <picture><source media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/ncids_header/logos/Logo_NCI.svg" /> <img src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/ncids_header/logos/Logo_NCI_Mobile.svg" alt="" /> </picture> </a> </div> <div class="nci-header-nav__secondary"> <button class="usa-button nci-header-mobilenav__open-btn">Menu</button> <form class="nci-header-search" method="get" action="/search/results" role="search"> <label class="usa-sr-only" for="nci-header-search__field"> Search </label> <input class="usa-input" id="nci-header-search__field" type="search" name="swKeyword" data-autosuggest-collection="cgov"/> <button class="usa-button nci-header-search__search-button" type="submit" aria-label="Search"> <span class="nci-header-search__label" aria-hidden="true">Search</span> <svg class="usa-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" viewbox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M15.5 14h-.79l-.28-.27C15.41 12.59 16 11.11 16 9.5 16 5.91 13.09 3 9.5 3S3 5.91 3 9.5 5.91 16 9.5 16c1.61 0 3.09-.59 4.23-1.57l.27.28v.79l5 4.99L20.49 19l-4.99-5zm-6 0C7.01 14 5 11.99 5 9.5S7.01 5 9.5 5 14 7.01 14 9.5 11.99 14 9.5 14z"/> </svg> </button> </form> </div> </div> <nav aria-label="Primary navigation" class="nci-header-nav"> <div class="nci-header-nav__inner"> <ul class="nci-header-nav__primary"> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/about-cancer" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="829"> <span>About Cancer</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/types" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link usa-current" data-menu-id="11868"> <span>Cancer Types</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/research" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="12732"> <span>Research</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/grants-training" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="914792"> <span>Grants & Training</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/news-events" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="12664"> <span>News & Events</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/about-nci" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="10952"> <span>About NCI</span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </header> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row flex-no-wrap"> <div class="grid-col-10"> <nav class="usa-breadcrumb usa-breadcrumb--wrap" aria-label="Breadcrumbs"> <ol class="usa-breadcrumb__list"> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item"> <a href="/" class="usa-breadcrumb__link"> <span>Home</span> </a> </li> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item"> <a href="/types" class="usa-breadcrumb__link"> <span>Cancer Types</span> </a> </li> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item usa-current" aria-current="page"> <span>Childhood Cancers</span> </li> </ol> </nav> </div> <section class="cgdp-page-options cgdp-page-options--top" aria-label="Page options top"> <button class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" onclick="window.print()"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M19 8H5c-1.66 0-3 1.34-3 3v6h4v4h12v-4h4v-6c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3zm-3 11H8v-5h8v5zm3-7c-.55 0-1-.45-1-1s.45-1 1-1 1 .45 1 1-.45 1-1 1zm-1-9H6v4h12V3z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Print </span> </button> <a class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" href="mailto:?subject=Information from the National Cancer Institute Web Site &body=I found this information on www.cancer.gov and I'd like to share it with you: https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers %0D%0A%0D%0A NCI's Web site, www.cancer.gov, provides accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive cancer information from the U.S. government's principal agency for cancer research. If you have questions or need additional information, we invite you to contact NCI's LiveHelp instant messaging service at https://livehelp.cancer.gov, or call the NCI's Contact Center 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) (toll-free from the United States)."> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M20 4H4c-1.1 0-1.99.9-1.99 2L2 18c0 1.1.9 2 2 2h16c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2V6c0-1.1-.9-2-2-2zm0 14H4V8l8 5 8-5v10zm-8-7L4 6h16l-8 5z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Email </span> </a> </section> </div> </div> <div id="page" class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap">  <div class="desktop:grid-col-3 nci-no-print"> <nav aria-label="Secondary navigation"> <ul class="usa-sidenav"> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/types/childhood-cancers" data-menu-id="921989" class="usa-current" aria-current="page">Childhood Cancers</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist"> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/types/childhood-cancers/late-effects-pdq" data-menu-id="951252">Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Treatment</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/types/childhood-cancers/patient/rare-childhood-cancers-pdq" data-menu-id="1151171">Rare Cancers of Childhood Treatment</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/types/childhood-cancers/pediatric-genomics-hp-pdq" data-menu-id="1056539">Childhood Cancer Genomics</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/types/childhood-cancers/research" data-menu-id="938231">Study Findings</a> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> <div class="cgdpl desktop:grid-col-9"> <div id="content" class=""> <main class="contentzone has-section-nav" id="main-content"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div>  <article> <div class="resize-content"> <h1> Childhood Cancers </h1> <div id="cgvBody"> <div data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image_display_article_medium" class="embedded-entity align-right"> <figure class="image-medium centered-set"> <div class="centered-element"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2020-09/mother-of-african-descent-cuddles-her-child-who-has-cancer.jpg?h=5537fd6a&itok=ahYgaZxU" width="970" height="628" alt="Child wearing head scarf cuddles and rests head on shoulder of a woman" /> </div> <figcaption> <div class="caption-container no-resize"> <p>Having cancer brings many changes to a child’s life. You can help your child by keeping her life as normal as possible.</p> <div class="image-photo-credit">Credit: iStock</div> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="blog-intro-text"> <p>A cancer diagnosis is upsetting at any age, but especially so when the patient is a child. It's natural to have many questions, such as, Who should treat my child? Will my child get well? What does all of this mean for our family? Not all questions have answers, but the information and resources on this page provide a starting point for understanding the basics of childhood cancer.</p></div> <div class="accordion"> <nav class="on-this-page hide-otp-on-collapse" role="navigation"> <span class="on-this-page__header">On This Page</span> <ul> <li> <a href="#types-of-cancer-in-children"> <p>Types of Cancer in Children</p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="#treating-childhood-cancer"> <p>Treating Childhood Cancer</p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="#where-children-with-cancer-are-treated"> <p>Where Children with Cancer Are Treated</p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="#coping-with-cancer"> <p>Coping with Cancer</p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="#survivorship"> <p>Survivorship</p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="#causes-of-childhood-cancer"> <p>Causes of Childhood Cancer</p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="#research"> <p>Research</p> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> <section> <h2 id="types-of-cancer-in-children"> <p>Types of Cancer in Children</p> </h2>  <p>In the United States in 2024, an estimated 9,620 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed among children from birth to 14 years, and about 1,040 children are expected to die from the disease. Although cancer death rates for this age group have declined by 70 percent from 1970 through 2020, cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease among children. The most common types of cancer diagnosed in children ages 0 to 14 years are <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d4dc35c7-c3f3-4c62-9723-668954043439" href="/types/leukemia">leukemias</a>, <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cebfd026-c2cb-428e-b407-41b5954db435" href="/types/brain">brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors</a>, and <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0d1c7b24-24e7-49aa-a698-cc44d586b0c7" href="/types/lymphoma">lymphomas</a>.</p> <p>NCI’s <a href="https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/">Cancer Stat Facts</a> include detailed cancer rate and trend information for certain types of childhood cancer. </p> </section> <section> <h2 id="treating-childhood-cancer"> <p>Treating Childhood Cancer</p> </h2> <p>Children's cancers are not always treated like adult cancers. Pediatric oncology is a medical specialty focused on the care of children with cancer. It's important to know that this expertise exists and that there are effective treatments for many childhood cancers. </p> <div data-embed-button="cgov_video_button" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.video_display_medium_no_title" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="e36a0bad-384c-4a05-b14e-34f018ff9bd2" data-langcode="en" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity align-center"> <figure class="video "> <div id="ytplayer-jC8CUIID2HA" class="flex-video widescreen" data-video-url="https://www.cancer.gov/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/2sPeSEr7FNc&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=zaHNII9FYEOXRHeuWolYhvAONc5pSDX-n7hoy1_xbio" data-video-title="Treatment Considerations for Children with Cancer"> <div class="video-preview--container" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Play video"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/video_display_medium/public/cgov_image/override_video_thumbnail/2024-09/thumbnail-treatment-considerations-children-cancer-v2_0.jpg?itok=cV9OJUv_" width="1982" height="1487" alt> <div class="video-preview--play-button"> <svg height="100%" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 68 48" width="100%"> <path class="play-button--bg" d="M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z" fill="#212121" fill-opacity="0.8" /> <path d="M 45,24 27,14 27,34" fill="#fff" /> </svg> </div> <p>Treatment Considerations for Children with Cancer</p> </div> </div> <figcaption class="caption-container"> <p>Pediatric oncology experts and parents discuss childhood cancer treatment-related decisions, side effects, clinical trials for children with cancer, and strategies to care for children at home.</p> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/e2rrf4nepQg">Access an audio described version of the video</a></p> <h3>Types of Treatment</h3> <p>There are many types of cancer treatment. The types of treatment that a child with cancer receives will depend on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. Common treatments include: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant. Learn about these and other therapies in our <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6edaaf1d-3ac7-44e5-82bd-6215402116e6" href="/about-cancer/treatment/types">Types of Treatment</a> section.</p> <div class="callout-box"> <h3>The Latest Expert-Reviewed Information</h3> <p>NCI’s <a data-custom-link="CTCC-COMid-Link" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7a0011a5-6b6a-4441-8157-238ca4eeb3cd" href="/publications/pdq/information-summaries/pediatric-treatment">PDQ® pediatric treatment cancer information summaries</a> explain diagnosis, staging, and treatment options for children's cancers.</p> <p>Our summary about <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c14fc31f-7fdb-4dac-9646-5dba3c478afa" href="/types/childhood-cancers/pediatric-genomics-hp-pdq">Childhood Cancer Genomics</a> describes the genomic alterations associated with different pediatric cancers, and their significance for therapy and prognosis.</p> </div> <h3>Clinical Trials</h3> <div data-caption data-embed-button="cgov_featured_content_button" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:node.embedded_feature_card" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f2a8ac44-867d-4143-b495-1a3f0eb93bda" data-langcode="en" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity align-right"> <div class="feature-card"> <a href="/research/infrastructure/clinical-trials/nci-supported/pediatric-match"> <div class="image-hover"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_featured/public/cgov_image/media_image/2022-01/pediatric-match-infographic_0.jpg?h=76c3ec9f&itok=zQVM0mrG" width="425" height="319" alt="Pediatric Match Infographic"> </div> <h3>NCI-COG Pediatric MATCH</h3> <p>This trial is studying treatments targeted to tumor alterations in children and adolescents with advanced cancer.</p> </a> </div> </div> <p>Before any new treatment can be made widely available to patients, it must be studied in clinical trials (research studies) and found to be safe and effective in treating disease. Clinical trials for children and adolescents with cancer are generally designed to compare potentially better therapy with therapy that is currently accepted as standard. Most of the progress made in identifying curative therapies for childhood cancers has been achieved through clinical trials.</p> <p>Our site's <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="45a1d27b-8550-459e-a2b6-bd151f0bda2f" href="/research/participate/clinical-trials">Clinical Trials Information for Patients and Caregivers</a> explains how clinical trials work. Information specialists who staff <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="465ba8e7-339b-40d7-96ae-ea3aa665922d" href="/contact">NCI’s Cancer Information Service</a> can answer questions about the process and help identify ongoing clinical trials for children with cancer.</p> <h3>Treatment Side Effects</h3> <p>Children face unique issues during their treatment for cancer, after the completion of treatment, and as survivors of cancer. For example, they may receive more intense treatments, cancer and its treatments have different effects on growing bodies than adult bodies, and they may respond differently to drugs that control symptoms in adults. Late effects of treatment are discussed later on this page in the Survivorship section.</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="where-children-with-cancer-are-treated"> <p>Where Children with Cancer Are Treated</p> </h2> <p>Children who have cancer are often treated at a children’s cancer center, which is a hospital or unit in a hospital that specializes in treating children with cancer. </p> <p>The doctors and other health professionals at these centers have special training and expertise to give complete care to children. Specialists at a children’s cancer center are likely to include primary care physicians, pediatric oncologists/hematologists, pediatric surgical specialists, radiation oncologists, rehabilitation specialists, pediatric nurse specialists, social workers, and psychologists. At these centers, clinical trials are available for most types of cancer that occur in children, and the opportunity to participate in a trial is offered to many patients.</p> <p>Hospitals that have experts in treating children with cancer are usually member institutions of the NCI-supported <a href="https://www.childrensoncologygroup.org">Children’s Oncology Group (COG)</a>. COG is the world’s largest organization that conducts clinical research to improve the care and treatment of children with cancer. <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="465ba8e7-339b-40d7-96ae-ea3aa665922d" href="/contact">NCI's Cancer Information Service</a> can help families find COG-affiliated hospitals.</p> <p>At the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, <a data-custom-link="CTCC-Ct-PedOnc" href="https://ccr.cancer.gov/pediatric-oncology-branch">NCI’s Pediatric Oncology Branch</a> cares for children and young adults with cancer. Health professionals and scientists conduct translational research that spans basic science to clinical trials to improve outcomes for children and young adults with cancer and genetic tumor predisposition syndromes.</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="coping-with-cancer"> <p>Coping with Cancer</p> </h2> <p>Adjusting to a child’s cancer diagnosis and finding ways to stay strong is challenging for everyone in a family. Our page, <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cb85130e-bbb8-425c-8039-696d64028b85" href="/about-cancer/coping/caregiver-support/parents">Support for Families When a Child Has Cancer</a>, has tips for talking with children about their cancer and preparing them for changes they may experience. Also included are ways to help brothers and sisters cope, steps parents can take when they need support, and tips for working with the health care team. Various aspects of coping and support are also discussed in the publication <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0ff7120f-91a5-41aa-979c-f2171c3f3db5" href="/publications/patient-education/guide-for-parents">Children with Cancer: A Guide for Parents</a>.</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="survivorship"> <p>Survivorship</p> </h2> <div data-embed-button="cgov_image_button" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image_display_article_medium" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="0587b323-f715-4eb1-a78b-5ef860fd38b8" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity align-right"> <figure class="image-medium centered-set"> <div class="centered-element"> <img loading="lazy" longdesc="/media/1172131/long-description" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2023-09/Childhood-Cancer-Survivors-Factoid-Aug-2023.jpg?h=c5655b5e&itok=thSh7EMa" width="970" height="970" alt="In 2020 there were nearly 496,000 childhood cancer survivors in the U.S."> </div> </figure> </div> <p>It’s essential for childhood cancer survivors to receive follow-up care to monitor their health after completing treatment. All survivors should have a <a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000780216" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000780216&version=Patient&language=en">treatment summary</a> and a <a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000780218" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000780218&version=Patient&language=en">survivorship care plan</a>, as discussed on our <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="df0d28d8-b43c-4ee8-b765-c10ea87b4273" href="/about-cancer/coping/survivorship/child-care">Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors</a> page. That page also has information on clinics that specialize in providing follow-up care for people who have had childhood cancer.</p> <p>Survivors of any kind of cancer can develop health problems months or years after cancer treatment, known as late effects, but late effects are of particular concern for childhood cancer survivors because treatment of children can lead to profound, lasting physical and emotional effects. Late effects vary with the type of cancer, the child’s age, the type of treatment, and other factors. Information on types of late effects and ways to manage these can be found on our <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="df0d28d8-b43c-4ee8-b765-c10ea87b4273" href="/about-cancer/coping/survivorship/child-care">Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors</a> page. The <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="83b0e6bb-12ee-433b-848d-1b77b995b8d7" href="/types/childhood-cancers/late-effects-pdq">PDQ® Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer</a> summary has in-depth information.</p> <p>Survivorship care and adjustments that both parents and children may go through are also discussed in the publication <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0ff7120f-91a5-41aa-979c-f2171c3f3db5" href="/publications/patient-education/guide-for-parents">Children with Cancer: A Guide for Parents</a>.</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="causes-of-childhood-cancer"> <p>Causes of Childhood Cancer</p> </h2> <p>The causes of most childhood cancers are not known. About 8 to 10 percent of all cancers in children are caused by an inherited mutation (a genetic mutation that can be passed from parents to their children).</p> <p>Most cancers in children, like those in adults, are thought to develop as a result of mutations in genes that lead to uncontrolled cell growth and eventually cancer. In adults, these gene mutations reflect the cumulative effects of aging and long-term exposure to cancer-causing substances. However, identifying potential environmental causes of childhood cancer has been difficult, partly because cancer in children is rare and partly because it is difficult to determine what children might have been exposed to early in their development. More information about possible causes of cancer in children is available in the fact sheet, <a data-custom-link="CTCC-Ct-ChildAdolescents" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7dd8ab4c-201b-4b1d-b35d-049fe3a36ca5" href="/types/childhood-cancers/child-adolescent-cancers-fact-sheet">Cancer in Children and Adolescents</a>.</p> </section> <section> <h2 id="research"> <p>Research</p> </h2> <p>NCI supports a broad range of research to better understand the causes, biology, and patterns of childhood cancers and to identify the best ways to successfully treat children with cancer. In the context of clinical trials, researchers are treating and learning from young cancer patients. Researchers are also following childhood cancer survivors to learn about health and other issues they may face as a result of their cancer treatment. To learn more, see <a data-custom-link="CTCC-Ct-Research" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="9746ef6c-c995-4d97-8bbb-82f679cdf296" href="/research/areas/childhood">Childhood Cancers Research</a>.</p> <div data-embed-button="insert_block_content" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:block_content.full" data-entity-type="block_content" data-entity-uuid="4a5de8be-44e6-460e-a480-f11124251942" data-langcode="en" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity align-center"><div class="yt-carousel" data-playlist-id="PLYKy4VbxNln6ONPgz-JXZanK5Z1yac831"> <div class="row"> <div class="columns small-12"> <h4 class="show-for-sr">Childhood Cancer Videos</h4> <figure class="yt-carousel-selected video center"> <div id="ytplayer" class="flex-video widescreen" data-video-id data-video-title ytc-index="0"> <div> <p> <a href target="_blank" title>Please enable Javacsript to view this content</a> </p> </div> </div> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <footer class="article-footer"> <div id="nvcgRelatedResourcesArea"> <div> <aside class="related-resources list"> <h2 class="related-resources__heading">Related Resources</h2> <ul> <li class="general-list-item general list-item title-only"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/types/childhood-cancers/child-adolescent-cancers-fact-sheet">Cancer in Children and Adolescents</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item title-only"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/about-cancer/coping/caregiver-support/parents">Support for Families: Childhood Cancer </a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item title-only"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/about-cancer/coping/survivorship/child-care">Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item title-only"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/publications/patient-education/guide-for-parents">Children with Cancer: A Guide for Parents</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item title-only"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/publications/patient-education/sibling-has-cancer">When Your Brother or Sister Has Cancer: A Guide for Teens</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item title-only"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="https://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/participate/_pdf/When_A_Cure_Is_No_Longer_Possible.pdf">When A Cure is No Longer Possible for Your Child</a> </div> </li> </ul> </aside> </div> </div> <div class="document-dates horizontal"> <ul class="clearfix"> <li> <strong>Updated:</strong> <time datetime="2024-05-02T12:00:00Z">May 2, 2024</time> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="nvcgSlPublicUse"> <div class="slot-item only-SI"> <div class="public-use"> <div id="block-ncids-trans-public-use"> <p><em>If you would like to reproduce some or all of this content, see <a href="/policies/copyright-reuse">Reuse of NCI Information</a> for guidance about copyright and permissions. In the case of permitted digital reproduction, please credit the National Cancer Institute as the source and link to the original NCI product using the original product's title; e.g., “Childhood Cancers was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.”</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </article> </main> </div> </div> <div class="desktop:grid-col-9 desktop:grid-offset-3"> <section class="cgdp-page-options cgdp-page-options--bottom" aria-label="Page options bottom"> <button class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" onclick="window.print()"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M19 8H5c-1.66 0-3 1.34-3 3v6h4v4h12v-4h4v-6c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3zm-3 11H8v-5h8v5zm3-7c-.55 0-1-.45-1-1s.45-1 1-1 1 .45 1 1-.45 1-1 1zm-1-9H6v4h12V3z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Print </span> </button> <a class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" href="mailto:?subject=Information from the National Cancer Institute Web Site &body=I found this information on www.cancer.gov and I'd like to share it with you: https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers %0D%0A%0D%0A NCI's Web site, www.cancer.gov, provides accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive cancer information from the U.S. government's principal agency for cancer research. If you have questions or need additional information, we invite you to contact NCI's LiveHelp instant messaging service at https://livehelp.cancer.gov, or call the NCI's Contact Center 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) (toll-free from the United States)."> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M20 4H4c-1.1 0-1.99.9-1.99 2L2 18c0 1.1.9 2 2 2h16c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2V6c0-1.1-.9-2-2-2zm0 14H4V8l8 5 8-5v10zm-8-7L4 6h16l-8 5z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Email </span> </a> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div id="block-ncidsfooterenglish"> <footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--nci-big" id="nci-footer" aria-label="Footer" > <div class="grid-container usa-footer__return-to-top"> <a href="#top" aria-label="Back To Top"><span>Back To Top</span></a> </div> <div class="usa-footer__primary-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="tablet:grid-col-8"> <nav class="usa-footer__nav" aria-label="Footer navigation"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-4"> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-4"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible" > <div class="usa-footer__primary-link">About</div> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/about-website">About This Website</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/espanol">en Español</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/copyright-reuse">Reuse & Copyright</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/social-media">Social Media</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-4"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible" > <div class="usa-footer__primary-link">Resources</div> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/contact">Contact Us</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/publications">Publications</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms" >Dictionary of Cancer Terms</a > </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/research/participate/clinical-trials-search" >Find a Clinical Trial</a > </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-4"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible" > <div class="usa-footer__primary-link">Policies</div> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/accessibility">Accessibility</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/foia">FOIA</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/privacy-security" >Privacy & Security</a > </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/disclaimer">Disclaimers</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" >Vulnerability Disclosure</a > </li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-4"> <div class="usa-sign-up"> <div class="usa-sign-up__heading">Sign up for email updates</div> <form action="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNIHNCI/subscribers/qualify" aria-label="Footer subscribe" class="usa-form" accept-charset="UTF-8" method="post" novalidate target="_blank" id="signup" > <input type="hidden" name="category_id" id="category_id" value="" /> <div class="usa-form-group"> <label class="usa-label" for="email"> Enter your email address </label> <input class="usa-input width-full" id="email" name="email" type="email" value="" /> </div> <button class="usa-button usa-button--accent-warm" type="submit"> Sign up </button> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__secondary-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="usa-footer__logo grid-row desktop:grid-col-5"> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-auto desktop:margin-bottom-3"> <p class="usa-footer__logo-heading"> <span class="logo__agency-name">National Cancer Institute </span> <span class="logo__parent-organization" >at the National Institutes of Health</span > </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__contact-links mobile-lg:grid-col-7"> <div class="usa-footer__contact-heading">Contact Us</div> <div class="usa-footer__address"> <div class="usa-footer__contact-info grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a href="https://livehelp.cancer.gov/">Live Chat</a> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a href="tel:1-800-4-CANCER">1-800-4-CANCER</a> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a href="mailto:NCIinfo@nih.gov">NCIinfo@nih.gov</a> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a class="no-exit-notification" href="https://nci.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aeLLobt6ZeGVn5I" target="_blank" >Site Feedback</a > </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="usa-footer__social-links desktop:grid-col-5"> <div class="usa-footer__social-heading">Follow us</div> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-1 nci-big__social"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.facebook.com/cancer.gov" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="facebook-title" > <title id="facebook-title">Facebook</title> <rect fill="none" height="24" width="24" /> <path d="M22,12c0-5.52-4.48-10-10-10S2,6.48,2,12c0,4.84,3.44,8.87,8,9.8V15H8v-3h2V9.5C10,7.57,11.57,6,13.5,6H16v3h-2 c-0.55,0-1,0.45-1,1v2h3v3h-3v6.95C18.05,21.45,22,17.19,22,12z" /> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://twitter.com/thenci" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="x-title" > <title id="x-title">Follow on X</title> <path d="M12 22c5.5 0 10-4.5 10-10S17.5 2 12 2 2 6.5 2 12s4.5 10 10 10zm5.2-15.6L13.3 11l4.3 6.2h-3.1L11.6 13 8 17.2h-.9l4.1-4.8-4.1-6h3.1l2.7 3.9 3.4-3.9h.9zm-5.6 5.4.4.6 2.8 4h1.4l-3.5-5-.4-.6-2.6-3.7H8.3l3.3 4.7z" /> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.instagram.com/nationalcancerinstitute/" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="instagram-title" > <title id="instagram-title">Instagram</title> <g id="Instagram"> <path d="M12,10a2,2,0,1,0,2,2A2,2,0,0,0,12,10Z" /> <path d="M12,2A10,10,0,1,0,22,12,10,10,0,0,0,12,2Zm6,12.69A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,14.69,18H9.31A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,6,14.69V9.31A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,9.31,6h5.38A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,18,9.31Z" /> <path d="M16.94,9.31a2.25,2.25,0,0,0-2.25-2.25H9.31A2.25,2.25,0,0,0,7.06,9.31v5.38a2.25,2.25,0,0,0,2.25,2.25h5.38a2.25,2.25,0,0,0,2.25-2.25h0ZM12,15.09A3.09,3.09,0,1,1,15.09,12,3.09,3.09,0,0,1,12,15.09Zm3.77-5.75a.79.79,0,0,1-.55.23.83.83,0,0,1-.55-.23.78.78,0,0,1,0-1.11A.82.82,0,0,1,15.22,8a.78.78,0,0,1,.55,1.33Z" /> </g> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.youtube.com/NCIgov" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="youtube-title" > <title id="youtube-title">Youtube</title> <g id="YouTube"> <path d="M12,2A10,10,0,1,0,22,12,10,10,0,0,0,12,2Zm5.75,12.91A1.49,1.49,0,0,1,16.69,16a34.65,34.65,0,0,1-4.69.26A34.65,34.65,0,0,1,7.31,16a1.49,1.49,0,0,1-1.06-1.06A15.88,15.88,0,0,1,6,12a15.88,15.88,0,0,1,.25-2.91A1.49,1.49,0,0,1,7.31,8,34.65,34.65,0,0,1,12,7.77,34.65,34.65,0,0,1,16.69,8a1.49,1.49,0,0,1,1.06,1.06A15.88,15.88,0,0,1,18,12,15.88,15.88,0,0,1,17.75,14.91Z" /> <polygon points="10.77 13.78 13.91 12 10.77 10.22 10.77 13.78" /> </g> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/nationalcancerinstitute/" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="linkedin-title" > <title id="linkedin-title">Linkedin</title> <g id="final"> <path d="M12,2C6.48,2,2,6.48,2,12s4.48,10,10,10s10-4.48,10-10S17.52,2,12,2z M8.912001,17.584H6.584v-7.472h2.328001V17.584z M7.744,9.104C6.992,9.104,6.4,8.488,6.4,7.76c0-0.752,0.592-1.344,1.344-1.344c0.728,0,1.343999,0.592,1.343999,1.344 C9.087999,8.488,8.472,9.104,7.744,9.104z M17.6,17.584h-2.328v-3.64c0-0.856-0.024001-1.967999-1.216001-1.967999 s-1.392,0.927999-1.392,1.912v3.696H10.36v-7.472h2.224v1.008h0.024c0.464-0.752,1.296-1.216001,2.199999-1.192 c2.352001,0,2.792,1.552001,2.792,3.544001C17.6,13.472,17.6,17.584,17.6,17.584z" /> </g> </svg> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__contact-links desktop:grid-col-7"> <div class="usa-footer__address height-full"> <div class="usa-footer__contact-info grid-row grid-gap height-full"> <address> <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/" >U.S. Department of Health and Human Services </a> <a href="https://www.nih.gov/" >National Institutes of Health </a> <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Cancer Institute </a> <a href="https://usa.gov/">USA.gov</a> </address> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/js/js_qW3TLjdEty3QtOepUCSY4uh6BQEGkRIL3qUMnp3WXG4.js?scope=footer&delta=0&language=en&theme=ncids_trans&include=eJxFyDEOwCAIAMAPGXmSQSGVRCkBHPx9x954cSN5Q8fgYuj4ONoMID-Gq_5Tj9rpS2IyFdaUvI13Z4KBlvJq0SEULR01AD1lLP4AvZMkvQ"></script> <script src="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/js/ncids-common.js?smm34w"></script> <script src="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/js/article.js?smm34w"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Childhood Cancers - NCI