Pediatric patients
What Are Late Effects of Childhood Cancer?
There are more than 18 million cancer survivors living in the United States, over 500,000 of which are survivors of childhood cancer.
In the last 30 years, cancer treatment and supportive care have improved significantly. As a result, more than 80% of children treated for cancer live 5 years or more after treatment. At the same time, because cancer treatments are powerful, these survivors are at risk for side effects that can occur over the long term, called "late effects," that are related to their prior cancer treatment.
Childhood Cancer - Introduction
ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about this disease and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Childhood Cancer. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.
Cancer is uncommon in children. Most cancers (99%) develop in adults, and it is most common in older adults. About 1 out of every 3 adults will develop cancer during their lifetime, while about 1 in 285 children will develop cancer before the age of 20.
