CANCER FACTS

Cancer begins when cells in the body become abnormal
and grow uncontrollably. In most types of cancer, these
abnormal cells form a solid growth of tissue, called a tumor.
In leukemia, a cancer of the blood and blood-forming
organs that starts in the bone marrow, these abnormal
cells rarely form a solid tumor, but instead crowd
other types of cells in the bone marrow. This prevents the production
of normal red blood cells, other white blood cells, and platelets
(blood components needed for clotting).Cancer in children most
often forms in the parts of their bodies that are still growing and changing,
such as their blood system, brain, and kidneys. In general, cancers
that occur in children behave differently than cancers in adults.
Childhood cancer is a general term used to describe a range of cancer types found
in children. Below are the most common types of cancer in children 14 and under.

Leukemia (accounts for about 32.7% of childhood cancer cases). While there
are many sub types of leukemia AML and more commonly ALL will be the most
common types found in children.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers (20.7%), including cancers
of the spinal cord

Astrocytoma, usually noncancerous, slow-growing cysts. They most commonly
develop in children ages 5 - 8. The main treatment is surgery to remove the tumor.

Brain Stem Glioma, occur almost exclusively in children. The average age of
development is about 6 years old. Surgery is usually not possible because of the
tumor's location in the brain. Radiation and chemotherapy are used to shrink the
tumor and prolong life. The median survival for DIPG is less than 1 year and the 2-
year survival rate is less than 20 percent. The prognosis to treat Diffuse Intrinsic
Pontine Gliomas (DIPG) is dismal; only 5-10% of children diagnosed with this rare
type of tumor survive.

High Grade Glioma

Central Nervous System

Craniopharyngioma

Desmoplastic Infantile Ganglioglioma

Ependymoma, make up about 8 - 10% of pediatric brain tumors. The tumors
are located in tiny passageways (ventricles) in the brain, and block the flow of
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, and
chemotherapy.

Medulloblastoma , are the most common type of childhood brain cancer.
Surgery alone does not cure this type of cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation are
often used in combination with surgery.

Neuroblastoma (6.9%), a cancer of immature nerve cells frequently arising in
the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys and are part of the
body's endocrine (hormonal) system.�NB is an aggressive solid tumor cancer that
strikes mainly young children and has less than a 30% chance of survival when
evidence at diagnoses shows that the disease has spread. Every 16 hours a child
with Neuroblastoma dies.

Wilms tumor (4.8%), a cancer of the kidney

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4.3%) and Hodgkin lymphoma (3.7%), cancers that
begin in the lymph system.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (3.5%), a type of cancer that begins in the striated
muscle, which are the skeletal voluntary muscles that people can control.

Retinoblastoma (2.7%), a cancer of the eye

Osteosarcoma (2.7%) and Ewing's sarcoma (1.4%), cancers that begin in the
bone

Germ cell tumors, a rare cancer that begins in the special cells that become
the testicles in men and ovaries in women

Pleuropulmonary blastoma, a rare lung cancer that begins in the chest

Cancer in teenagers and young adults
In most cases, teenagers and young adults who have cancer should be treated at
a pediatric oncology center, so they will have access to the latest treatments and
receive coordinated care by a team of doctors. This is especially true for teenagers
who have lymphoma, leukemia, and bone tumors. The few exceptions are
teenagers with such adult cancers as melanoma, testicular cancer, and ovarian
cancer. In these situations, it is appropriate for teenagers to receive treatments
that are similar to adults, but also be given access to age-appropriate support
programs for their social and emotional needs. Learn more about Age-Specific
Information.

Below are the most common types of cancer in teenagers, ages 15 to 19:
- Hodgkin's lymphoma (16.1%)
- Germ cell tumors (15.2%)
- CNS tumors (10%)
- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (7.6%)
- Thyroid cancer (7.2%)
- Melanoma (7%)
- ALL (6.4%)
- Sarcoma, not including rhabdomyosarcoma (5.9%)
- Osteosarcoma (4.6%)
- AML (4.2%)
- Ewing's sarcoma (2.3%)
- Rhabdomyosarcoma (1.9%)

Neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, retinoblastoma, and ependymoma are uncommon in
teenagers, accounting for less than 1% of cancers in teenagers when combined.

Statistics
There are several types of childhood cancer, and survival rates are different for
each. In general, the overall five-year relative survival rate is steadily increasing
(the percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is
detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) however; one quarter of
children will die 5 years from the time of diagnosis.

The overall five-year survival rate of teenagers (ages 15 to 19) with cancer is 76%.
For teenagers with cancers such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, germ cell tumors, thyroid
cancer, and melanoma, the five-year survival rate is 90% or greater.

Cancer survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are
based on data from thousands of cases of this type of cancer, but the actual risk for
a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or
she will live with a particular childhood cancer. Because the survival statistics are
measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the
treatment or diagnosis of this cancer.

- One in every 330 Americans will develop cancer by the age of 20.
- On average 12,500 children and teens will be diagnosed with some form of
cancer each year in this country.
- Of those, almost 3,000 will die.
The incidence of childhood cancer has increased every year for the last 25
years.
- Currently there is 30-40,000 children being treated with cancer. It strikes
children from all ethnic backgrounds and every level of financial income.
- Cancer remains the number one disease killer of America's children - more
than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Asthma and AIDS combined.

Shocking Facts about Cancer Research Funding
- Over the past two decades, only ONE new cancer drug has been approved
for pediatric use.
- Only 3% of the National Cancer Institute Budget goes toward Pediatric
Cancer Research.
- September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, which nationally goes
unrecognized.
- Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first
diagnosed. Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease
has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread at
diagnosis.
- Today, up to 75% of the children with cancer can be cured, yet some forms of
childhood cancer have proven so resistant to treatment that, in spite of research, a
cure is illusive.
- As a nation, we spend over $14 BILLION per year on the space program, but
only $35 MILLION on Childhood Cancer Research each year.
There are 15 children diagnosed with cancer for every one child diagnosed
with pediatric AIDS. Yet, the U.S. invests approximately $595,000 for research per
victim of pediatric AIDS and only $20,000 for each victim of childhood cancer.
The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) federal budget for 2003 was $4.6
billion. Of that, breast cancer received 12%, prostate cancer received 7%, and all
12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 3%.
Research funds are scarce as most money is diverted to well-publicized adult
forms of cancer, such as breast and prostate.

In 2005, the American Cancer Society provided only 2.5% of funded grants,
or 1.85% of dollars spent on research to pediatric cancer.

There are tons and tons of other organizations named in the honor of loved ones
who raise/support awareness towards childhood cancer. Research your
organizations before you donate. Whether it be for "courage" support or any other
devastating illness, know where your money goes. You can make a difference!
Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's publication, Cancer Facts and
Figures 2009 and the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End
Results (SEER) database.

Other sources:
www.americancancersociety.org
www.seer.cancer.gov/statistics/
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000768