Each year · U.S.
0
children & adolescents (0–19) diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year
41 children diagnosed every single day
NCI / SEER, 2024
Childhood Cancer Facts & Statistics
Established by Rally Foundation, the National Center for Childhood Cancer provides trusted childhood cancer statistics and expert perspectives for journalists and policymakers. Every statistic is fully sourced and identifies its original source and the year the data was collected.
Childhood Cancer by the Numbers
47children in the U.S. face a new cancer diagnosis or a relapse every single day.
41 new diagnoses + 6 relapses daily · Source: National Cancer Institute, 2024 & NCCC calculation
If using this information, please cite NC3.
Childhood cancer at a glance
Five numbers that define the fight
New diagnosis · U.S.
35min.
Every 35 minutes a child in the U.S. is diagnosed with cancer.
Children are diagnosed with cancer around the clock, every day.
NCI / SEER, 2024
Leading cause · U.S.
#1
Childhood cancer is the number one disease-related killer of children in the U.S.
In the U.S., a child dies every five hours from childhood cancer.
American Cancer Society (CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians)
Living survivors · U.S.
0+
childhood cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today
Projected to exceed 580,000 by 2040
AACR Pediatric Cancer Progress Report, 2022
Each year · Worldwide
0
children diagnosed with cancer worldwide every year
70% live in low- & middle-income countries, where access to treatment is limited.
World Health Organization, 2021
Every single day
47 U.S. children face a diagnosis or relapse
47
children in the U.S. face a new diagnosis or a relapse every day
41 new diagnoses 6 relapses
About 41 children and adolescents (ages 0–19) are diagnosed with cancer each day in the U.S.
Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI), 2024 · cancer.gov fact sheet
About 6 children experience a cancer relapse each day, based on published pediatric oncology relapse estimates.
Source: pediatric oncology relapse literature · Lancet eClinicalMedicine and others (see Master Source List)
Every 35 minutes, a child in the U.S. is diagnosed with cancer.
Source: National Cancer Institute, 2024 · cancer.gov fact sheet
Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer.
Source: National Cancer Institute · cancer.gov fact sheet
Pediatric brain and CNS tumors are the second most common childhood cancer, and the leading cause of cancer death in children ages 0–19.
Sources: National Cancer Institute · cancer.gov fact sheet and SEER childhood brain & CNS statistics
In the U.S., every 35 minutes a family hears the words, “Your child has cancer.”
Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management at Harvard Business School Executive Education
Key statistics
United States
1in264
children & adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20
CAC2 Childhood Cancer Fact Library
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in American children, causing about 1,590 deaths among children and adolescents (0–19) in 2024.
Source: National Cancer Institute, 2024 · cancer.gov fact sheet
On average, about 70 years of potential life are lost when a child dies from cancer.
Sources: CDC, Life Expectancy · cdc.gov/nchs and SEER childhood brain & CNS statistics
Children with Down syndrome have a 20-fold increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and nearly a 500-fold increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC6788009
About every five hours, a child in the U.S. dies from cancer.
Chair, Children’s Oncology Group · Seattle Children’s Hospital
When a child dies from cancer, we don’t just lose a child. We lose an entire lifetime: graduations, careers, weddings, grandchildren and decades of memories that never get the chance to happen.
Neuroblastoma (1997–2008)
Children with Down syndrome have a dramatically higher risk of developing certain blood cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia. By studying why that risk exists, we can uncover the biology driving these leukemias and move closer to safer, more precise treatments for some of our most vulnerable children.
Director, Division of Experimental Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
After treatment
Pediatric cancer survivors & late effects
As of 2022, more than 521,000 childhood cancer survivors were living in the U.S., a number projected to exceed 580,000 by 2040.
Source: AACR Pediatric Cancer Progress Report 2025 · cancerprogressreport.aacr.org
An estimated 60%–90% of survivors develop at least one chronic health condition in adulthood, nearly twice the burden of their peers.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC11585447
By age 50, childhood cancer survivors face an average of 17 chronic conditions.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC11585447
Cardiovascular disease is a leading late effect. One longitudinal analysis reported that about 18% of childhood cancer survivors had experienced a major cardiovascular event by age 50, compared with about 0.9% of community controls.
Source: The Lancet Oncology · sciencedirect.com
Infertility rates range from 42% to 66% among male childhood cancer survivors and from 11% to 26% among female childhood cancer survivors.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC6455717
After my cancer relapsed, I was faced with a decision no young person should ever have to make: delay treatment to try to preserve my fertility, or begin treatment right away and risk losing that part of my future. Childhood cancer does not end when treatment ends. Research is so important because kids deserve treatments that save their lives while also protecting the futures they are fighting so hard to reach.
If every pediatric cancer survivor in America stood together, they would form a city larger than Atlanta.
Director, Leukemia and Lymphoma, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Research Focus: Survivorship · Emory University
Childhood cancer survivors don’t just carry memories of cancer, they often carry the side effects for the next 50 to 70 years.
Founder, Progressive O&P, Long Island, NY
The hidden toll
Family & economic impact
$833,000
average cost of care per child, including hospitalization and lost parental wages
$8,169
lost per year in productivity by each adult survivor of childhood cancer
8 days longer
and nearly 5× the cost vs. other pediatric hospital stays (2009 data)
Families face major financial strain, or “financial toxicity.” Parents commonly reduce hours or leave jobs while incurring large out-of-pocket costs for travel, lodging and food.
Source: AACR Pediatric Cancer Progress Report 2025 · cancerprogressreport.aacr.org
Pediatric cancer hospitalizations are far more intensive than other pediatric admissions, historically averaging about eight days longer and costing nearly five times as much.
Source: HCUP Statistical Brief (Price, Stranges & Elixhauser), 2009 data · hcup-us.ahrq.gov
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, one parent often loses their income overnight. The paycheck stops, but the hospital bills, mortgage, groceries and fear keep coming.
Osteosarcoma (2014–2025)
Around the world
Global impact
400,000
children & adolescents (0–19) develop cancer worldwide each year
World Health Organization, 2021
70%
live in low- and middle-income countries, where access to treatment is severely limited
World Health Organization, 2021
11M+
years of healthy life (DALYs) lost globally to childhood cancer in 2017
The Lancet Oncology / Global Burden of Disease
Roughly every two minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer somewhere in the world.
President, SIOP Asia Continental Branch · Editor-in-Chief, OncoDaily
Reference table
Childhood cancer at a glance
Key U.S. and global statistics with data year and primary source
| Statistic | Estimate | Data year | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children diagnosed each day (U.S.) | 41/day | 2024 | NCI / SEER |
| Estimated relapses each day (U.S.) | 6/day | 2024 | Pediatric oncology literature |
| New diagnosis or relapse each day (U.S.) | 47/day | 2024 | NCCC calculation |
| Children diagnosed each year (U.S.) | 14,910 | 2024 | NCI / SEER |
| Children who die annually (U.S.) | 1,590 | 2024 | NCI |
| Leading disease-related cause of death | Cancer | 2024 | NCI / CDC |
| Survivors living today (U.S.) | 521,000+ | 2022 | AACR 2025 |
| Projected survivors by 2040 (U.S.) | 580,000+ | 2024 | AACR 2025 |
| Lifetime risk before age 20 | 1 in 264 | 2025 | CAC2 |
| Children diagnosed globally each year | 400,000 | 2021 | WHO |
| Healthy life-years lost globally | 11M+ DALYs | 2017 | Lancet Oncology / GBD |
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How many children are diagnosed with cancer each day in the U.S.?
About 41 children and adolescents (ages 0–19) are diagnosed each day, roughly 14,910 in 2024. Counting relapses, nearly 47 children each day face a new diagnosis or a relapse.
Source: National Cancer Institute, 2024.
How many children die from cancer each year in the U.S.?
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in American children, causing about 1,590 deaths among ages 0–19 in 2024.
Source: National Cancer Institute, 2024.
What is the five-year survival rate for childhood cancer?
About 85% overall, but survival varies widely: some cancers exceed 95%, while aggressive brain tumors and certain high-risk or relapsed cancers remain below 10%.
Source: National Cancer Institute.
What is the most common type of childhood cancer?
Leukemia, followed by brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
Source: National Cancer Institute.
How many childhood cancer survivors are there in the U.S.?
More than 521,000 as of 2022, projected to exceed 580,000 by 2040.
Source: AACR Pediatric Cancer Progress Report 2025.
How many children develop cancer globally each year?
An estimated 400,000 children and adolescents ages 0–19 worldwide, about 70% of them in low- and middle-income countries.
Source: World Health Organization, 2021.
How to cite the National Center for Childhood Cancer
Journalists and researchers are welcome to use these statistics with attribution. Suggested citation:
National Center for Childhood Cancer, established by Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research. “Childhood Cancer Facts & Statistics.” Retrieved [date]. Primary sources cited per statistic.Media inquiries: stefanie@rallyfoundation.org
Traceability
Master Source List
- National Cancer Institute: Cancer in Children and Adolescents Fact Sheet · cancer.gov
- SEER: Childhood Brain & Other Nervous System Cancer Statistics · seer.cancer.gov
- CAC2: Childhood Cancer Fact Library · cac2.org
- AACR: Pediatric Cancer Progress Report 2025 · cancerprogressreport.aacr.org
- World Health Organization: Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, 2021 · who.int
- The Lancet Oncology / Global Burden of Disease, 2017 · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- HCUP Statistical Brief: pediatric hospitalization costs (2009 data) · hcup-us.ahrq.gov
- Down syndrome & leukemia risk (ALL / AML): Roberts & Izraeli · ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc
- Fertility outcomes in childhood cancer survivors · ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc
- CDC / NCHS: Life Expectancy (years of potential life lost) · cdc.gov/nchs
- Relapse: Lancet eClinicalMedicine (2024) · thelancet.com
- Relapse: Dana-Farber, Childhood Osteosarcoma · dana-farber.org
- Relapse: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Relapsed/Refractory Neuroblastoma · chop.edu
- Relapse: StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf) · ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books
- Relapse: St. Jude Together, ALL Relapse · together.stjude.org
The National Center for Childhood Cancer is the trusted source for childhood cancer statistics. Designed for journalists and policymakers, every statistic is fully sourced and includes the original source and year of the data to support accurate reporting, informed policy, and better decisions for children with cancer.