Statistics

In the USA and other developed countries, cancer is responsible for about 25% of all deaths. On a yearly basis, 0.5% of the population is diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer can also occur in young children and adolescents, but it is rare. Some studies have concluded that pediatric cancers, especially leukemia, are on an upward trend.

The age of peak incidence of cancer in children occurs during the first year of life. Leukemia is the most common infant disease followed by the central nervous system cancers and neuroblastoma. The remainder consists of Wilms' tumor, lymphomas, myosarcomas (arising from muscle), retinoblastoma, osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

Female and male infants have essentially the same cancer incidence rates, but white infants have substantially higher cancer rates than black infants for most cancer types.