ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer. Each year, an estimated 2,900 children and adolescents younger than 20 are diagnosed with ALL. It is most common in younger children, especially children ages two and three. The five-year survival rate (the percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected) of children with ALL is 89% for children younger than 15 and 50% for teens aged 15 to 19.

Cancer survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of people with this type of cancer in the United States each year, 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 childhood ALL. Because the survival statistics are measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this cancer. Learn more about understanding statistics.

Source: The National Cancer Institute.