Approximately 4,000 CNS tumors are diagnosed each year in children younger than 20. About 1,000 of these are considered noncancerous tumors. CNS tumors are the second most common childhood cancer, after leukemia. The overall five-year survival rate (the percentage of children who survive at least five years after the tumor is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) of children with CNS tumors is 71%.

Survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of children with this type of tumor, 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 CNS tumor. Because the survival statistics are measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this tumor. Learn more about understanding statistics [2].

Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's publication, Cancer Facts and Figures 2013.