Childhood Cancer survival statistics

The great majority of five-year survivors of childhood cancer may be regarded as cured, with only a 10% risk of death from recurrent tumour or a treatment-related cause during the ensuing 10 years 2-4. About 75% of all childhood cancer patients in Britain currently survive for at least five years after diagnosis ( Figure 3.1) 1.

Chart showing the survival of patients after a diagnosis of childhood cancer

Figure 3.1: Percentage of patients still alive five years after diagnosis, childhood cancers, Great Britain, 1992-96

Patients with retinoblastoma, gonadal germ cell tumours and Hodgkin’s lymphoma do particularly well, with five-year survival rates of about 95%. Only one of the common diagnostic groups, primitive neuroectodermal tumours, had a recent five-year survival rate of less than 50%.

Survival in Western Europe is similar to that in the USA 5 but survival in Eastern Europe tends to be lower 6.

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