Cancer in children and young people
This year, the first UK-wide statistics report in almost a decade was published on cancer in children, teenagers and young adults (TYA).
The report combines data on cancer incidence, survival and mortality from cancer registries in the four UK countries. It is a key document in helping us to understand progress in how cancer is managed for children and young people.
This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we wanted to share some key figures with you from the report.
Children, teenagers and young adults UK cancer statistics report 2021
Children, teenagers and young adults UK cancer statistics report 2021
For many years, UK-wide data on the incidence and survival of childhood cancer (ages 0- 14 years) were reported by the University of Oxford's National Registry of Childhood Tumours. Subsequently TYA cancer data (15-24 years) were collated and reported by the North West Cancer Intelligence Service.
There have been no detailed UK-wide reports of cancer incidence, survival or mortality since 2012, and there has never been a report that combined the analysis of data throughout the child-TYA age spectrum, despite many cancers typical of this age affecting both children and TYA.
Read the full report: Children, teenagers and young adults UK cancer statistics report 2021
Cancer in children and young people – what do the statistics tell us?
A blog has been published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) which outlines five key messages from the report.
Every day in the UK, 10 children or young people are diagnosed with cancer
Children and young people get different types of cancer compared to adults
Around 1 in 5 cancers diagnosed in teenagers and young adults may be preventable
Cancer survival in children and young people has improved for most cancers
Our data helps the understanding of children's and young people's cancers