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Leukemia is the most common cancer in children and
adolescents. It accounts for about 1 out of 3 cancers in children.
Overall, however, childhood leukemia is a rare disease.
Of the estimated 3,500 children (ages 0-14) who will develop
leukemia in 2009, about 3 out of 4 will be diagnosed with acute
lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Most of the remaining cases will be acute
myelogenous leukemia (AML). Chronic leukemias are rare in children.
ALL is most common in early childhood, peaking between 2 and 4
years of age. Cases of AML are more spread out across the childhood
years, although it is slightly more common during the first 2 years of
life and during the teenage years.
ALL is slightly more common among white children than among
African-American and Asian-American children and is more common in boys
than in girls. AML occurs equally among boys and girls of all races.
Survival rates for childhood leukemias
The 5-year survival rate refers to the percentage of patients
who live at least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed. With regard
to acute leukemias, children who are free of disease after 5 years are
very likely to have been cured, as it very rare for these cancers to
return after such a period of time. Current 5-year survival rates are
based on children first diagnosed and treated more than 5 years ago.
Improvements in treatment since then may result in a more favorable
outlook for recently diagnosed children.
The 5-year survival rate for ALL in children has greatly
increased over time and is now more than 80% overall.
The 5-year survival rate for children with AML has also
increased over time, and is now in the range of 50% to 70%. Most
studies suggest that the cure rate for acute promyelocytic leukemia
(APL), a subtype of AML, is now higher than 80%.
Survival statistics can sometimes be useful as a general
guide, but they may not accurately represent any one child's prognosis.
A number of other factors, including the child's age and tumor
characteristics, can also affect outlook. Many of these prognostic
factors are discussed in the section, "How
is childhood leukemia classified?" Your child's doctor is
likely to be a good source as to whether these numbers may apply to
your child, as he or she is familiar with the aspects of the particular
situation.
Last Medical Review: 08/19/2007
Last Revised: 05/14/2009
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