ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the number of children who are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors. Use the menu to see other pages.
ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer. Approximately 75% of people under age 20 diagnosed with leukemia are diagnosed with ALL. Most cases occur between age 2 and 5. However, it can be diagnosed at any age. An estimated 400 people ages 15 to 19 in the United States will be diagnosed with the disease this year.
It is less common in girls than boys. Hispanic children and White children are slightly more likely to develop ALL than Asian children and Black children.
The 5-year survival rate tells you what percent of children and teens live at least 5 years after the cancer is found. Percent means how many out of 100. The 5-year survival rate for children 0 to 14 with ALL is 92%. The 5-year survival rate for people ages 15 to 19 is 76%. For children diagnosed with acute leukemia, those who remain free from the disease after 5 years are generally considered cured because it is rare for acute leukemia to recur after this amount of time.
It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for children with ALL are an estimate. The estimate comes from annual data based on the number of children with this cancer in the United States. Also, experts measure the survival statistics every 5 years. So the estimate may not show the results of better diagnosis or treatment available for less than 5 years. Talk with your child’s doctor if you have any questions about this information. Learn more about understanding statistics.
Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) publications, American Cancer Society's (ACS) publications, Cancer Facts & Figures 2022 and Cancer Facts & Figures 2020: Special Section - Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults, and the ACS website. (All sources accessed January 2022.)
The next section in this guide is Medical Illustrations. It offers drawings of body parts often affected by childhood ALL. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.