Paediatric cancer, compared to adult cancer is relatively rare. The paediatric population sees a number of different cancers that are unique to children and young people such as retinoblastoma and Wilm’s tumour. Over the last 50 years, outcomes for paediatric cancer have increased significantly. For leukaemia, the most common childhood cancer, the aim is to cure and over 95% of patients will have this experience. However, for other malignancies, such as high-grade brain tumours, many patients still have a poor prognosis.

Cancer is a disease where the cells of the body are out of control.  Body cells normally work in a controlled way. With cancer, the cells grow in an uncontrolled way. They damage the part of the body where they first started (primary tumour) and can spread to other parts of the body (secondary tumour or metastasis).

For more information about life during and after childhood cancer, and caring for a child with cancer, please refer to life during and after childhood cancer.