Health topics

Although childhood cancer is rare, approximately 13,000 children under the age of 20 are diagnosed with cancer every year. Cancer affects people regardless of age, sex, race, geographical location or social status.

The information here provides an overview of major childhood cancers, how they happen, how they are typically diagnosed and treated.

The most common childhood cancers are leukemia, lymphoma and brain cancer.

As children enter their teen years, there is also an increase in the incidence of osteosarcoma (bone cancer). The sites of cancer are different for each type, as are treatment and cure rates.