Cancer in children is different from cancer in adults

Thanks to research, more than 80% of people diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20 will survive five years or more. However these children and teenagers are likely to develop health problems later in life. In particular, they have a chance of developing a second cancer. Sadly, these second cancers are a leading cause of death among this group. We need to find ways to stop young cancer survivors from developing second cancers. Today, in high income countries, four out of five childhood cancer patients have a good chance of survival, compared with only one out of five 50 years ago. However, in low- and middle-income countries, many childhood cancer patients remain undiagnosed or untreated. To better understand and address these inequalities, Dr Eva Steliarova-Foucher and her team at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) supports the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which aims to reach at least a 60% survival rate for all childhood cancer patients globally by 2030. Read Dr Eva Steliarova-Foucher’s research project. Dr Eva Steliarova-Foucher’s research