Cancer Types
Pediatric Brain Cancer
Brain and spinal cord tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children ages 0–14 in the U.S. “Brain tumor” is not one disease. It is many, and each type behaves and is treated differently.
Londyn, a Rally Kid diagnosed with DIPG
Five numbers that define pediatric brain tumors
U.S. children and teens living with a brain or central nervous system tumor in 2025
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report)
cause of cancer-related death in U.S. children ages 0–14
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report)
distinct types of brain tumor, each with its own biology, treatment, and outlook
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report)
children and adolescents die from brain cancer in the U.S. each year, enough to fill an entire elementary school
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report)
of pediatric brain and CNS tumors occur in the brain or surrounding structures; only about 6% in the spinal cord
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Report)
In 2025, almost 43,000 U.S. children and teens are living with a brain or central nervous system tumor, cancerous and non-cancerous combined.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com
Brain and spinal cord tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children ages 0 to 14 in the U.S.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com
Pediatric brain cancer is not 1 disease but multiple distinct types of brain tumors, each with its own biology, treatment, and outlook.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com
About 518 children and adolescents die from brain cancer in the U.S. each year, enough children to fill an entire elementary school.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com
Nearly all pediatric brain and CNS tumors, about 94%, occur in the brain or surrounding structures. Only about 6% occur in the spinal cord and related spinal structures.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Report) · academic.oup.com
About 6 out of every 100,000 children and teens (ages 0–19) are diagnosed with a brain or spinal cord tumor each year.
Source: Neuro-Oncology · academic.oup.com/neuro-oncology
Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumor in children overall. It typically grows slowly and is highly curable, with 5-year survival above 95%.
Source: Neuro-Oncology · academic.oup.com/neuro-oncology
Most common pediatric brain tumors
Medulloblastoma, diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and ependymoma are among the most common malignant brain tumors in children. Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) and embryonal tumor with multilayered rosettes (ETMR) are rarer but especially aggressive types, most often seen in infants and very young children.
Medulloblastoma
The most common cancerous brain tumor in children.
children diagnosed in the U.S. each year
NCI PDQ
of children are still alive 5 years after diagnosis
PubMed Central
survival range across the four molecular subtypes, which is why one overall number can mislead
NCI PDQ · PubMed Central
when most children are diagnosed, though it can happen at any age
PubMed Central
Medulloblastoma is a powerful example of why research matters. We once thought it was one disease. Now we know there are four distinct types, each with different biology, treatments, and outcomes. That discovery has fundamentally changed how we think about treating children with this cancer.
About 500 children are diagnosed with medulloblastoma in the U.S. each year.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
About 76% of children with medulloblastoma are still alive 5 years after diagnosis.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC6059016
Survival depends heavily on the tumor’s molecular subtype, ranging from about 30% to 90% across the four known subtypes (WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4).
Sources: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov · NCBI PubMed Central · PMC11726341
How much of the tumor a surgeon can safely remove is one of the biggest factors in survival. Children whose whole tumor is removed generally do better.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Children whose cancer has spread within the brain or spine at diagnosis have lower survival, about 55%, compared with 80–85% for children whose cancer has not spread.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Treatment usually combines surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to the brain and spine.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Medulloblastoma is four different diseases
Medulloblastoma is grouped into four molecular subtypes. Five-year survival differs enormously between them, which is why a single overall number understates the risk for some children and overstates it for others.
| Subtype | 5-year survival | What drives the difference |
|---|---|---|
| WNT | Above 90% | Often cited near 95–100%. The best outlook of any medulloblastoma subtype. |
| SHH | 65–75% | Varies significantly by age and by whether the tumor carries a TP53 gene mutation. |
| Group 3 | 50–60% | Falls below 50% when the tumor carries MYC gene amplification. The worst outlook of the four subtypes. |
| Group 4 | 75–90% | Generally better than Group 3, but not as favorable as WNT. |
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
DMG / DIPG
DMG, including DIPG, is the most common type of pediatric high-grade glioma and the deadliest pediatric brain tumor.
of all childhood brain tumors
PubMed Central
new U.S. cases diagnosed each year
PubMed Central
typical survival after diagnosis
PubMed Central (Neuro-Oncology Advances)
of children survive 5 years, one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer
PubMed Central (Neuro-Oncology Advances)
when most children are diagnosed
NCI
When a parent hears DIPG or DMG, the world stops. They are being told their child has one of the most devastating childhood cancers and that we still don’t have a cure.
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DIPG/DMG makes up about 10 to 15% of childhood brain tumors, with an estimated 200 to 300 new U.S. cases diagnosed each year.
Sources: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC9913210 · PMC5327458
Typical survival after diagnosis is only about 9 to 11 months.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central (Neuro-Oncology Advances) · PMC11582646
Fewer than 1 to 2% of children survive 5 years, one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central (Neuro-Oncology Advances) · PMC11582646
The tumor grows through the pons, the part of the brainstem that controls breathing and heart rate, so it cannot be safely removed with surgery.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Radiation therapy is the standard treatment. It often helps symptoms for a while, but the cancer always returns.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Most DIPG tumors carry a gene change called H3 K27M, now used to classify it as “Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27-altered,” a high-grade (WHO grade 4) brain tumor.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (WHO Classification Summary) · academic.oup.com
Despite decades of clinical trials, survival has not meaningfully improved, and adding chemotherapy has not extended survival beyond radiation alone.
Source: International DIPG/DMG Registry · dipgregistry.org
Ependymoma
The third most common malignant brain tumor in children, most often arising in the back of the brain (posterior fossa).
of childhood brain tumors, about 170 to 200 new U.S. pediatric cases each year
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · PubMed Central
median age at pediatric diagnosis; it is most common in children under 5
Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · PubMed Central
of pediatric ependymomas arise in the posterior fossa, the back and base of the brain
PubMed
overall 5-year survival, from 70–90% for fully resected favorable tumors down to well below 50% for PFA tumors
PubMed · PubMed Central
Ependymoma is a challenging childhood brain cancer because even after successful surgery and radiation, the tumor can come back even 10 years later, and when it does, our treatment options become very limited. Research is giving us the opportunity to develop new therapies that harness the immune system and offer children with recurrent ependymoma something they desperately need: more treatment options and more hope.
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Professor of Pediatric Oncology
Ependymoma makes up roughly 6 to 12% of childhood brain tumors, with about 170 to 200 new U.S. pediatric cases estimated per year, making it the third most common childhood brain tumor after medulloblastoma and gliomas.
Sources: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com · NCBI PubMed Central · PMC8805767
Ependymoma has two age peaks. It is most common in children under 5, with a second, smaller peak in adulthood. The median age at pediatric diagnosis is around 5 to 6 years old.
Sources: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com · NCBI PubMed Central · PMC8805767
About 90% of pediatric ependymomas arise in the posterior fossa (the back and base of the brain). Molecular subgroup matters enormously: posterior fossa group A (PFA) tumors, more common in young children, have a notably worse prognosis than posterior fossa group B (PFB) or supratentorial subtypes.
Source: PubMed (Zapotocky et al., Cancer 2019) · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Overall 5-year survival is roughly 50 to 75%, but this varies widely. Completely resected tumors and favorable molecular subgroups can approach 70 to 90% survival, while incompletely resected or PFA tumors can fall well below 50%.
Sources: PubMed (Zapotocky et al., Cancer 2019) · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · NCBI PubMed Central · PMC8732814
How much of the tumor a surgeon can safely remove is the single strongest predictor of survival. Complete surgical removal followed by radiation therapy is the standard of care.
Sources: PubMed (Zapotocky et al., Cancer 2019) · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · NCBI PubMed Central · PMC4482960
Unlike some other childhood brain tumors, ependymoma tends to recur locally at or near the original tumor site rather than spreading widely, so repeat surgery can play an important role if the cancer returns.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC4482960
ATRT
A rare, fast-growing brain tumor mostly seen in infants and very young children.
children diagnosed in the U.S. each year
PubMed Central
brain tumors diagnosed in a baby's first year of life are ATRT
PubMed Central
children with ATRT are alive 5 years after diagnosis
PubMed Central
of children are diagnosed before age 3, most often in their second year of life
PubMed Central
ATRT is rare, fewer than 100 children are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, but it causes about 1 in 8 brain tumors diagnosed in a baby’s first year of life.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC12846430
About 3 in 10 children with ATRT are alive 5 years after diagnosis. Survival depends heavily on age, whether the cancer has spread, and treatment received.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC12468553
More than 95% of ATRT tumors are caused by the loss of a gene called SMARCB1 (also known as INI1).
Source: Neuro-Oncology · academic.oup.com
Up to 40% of children already have cancer that has spread by the time they are diagnosed, and these children have lower survival than those whose cancer has not spread.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC12468553
Survival has improved with newer treatment. In one European study, nearly half of children treated after 2011 stayed cancer-free 3 years later, versus none treated before 2011. ATRT remains one of the deadliest childhood brain tumors.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC8053862
About 1 in 3 children with ATRT inherited the gene change that caused it. These children tend to be diagnosed earlier and have worse survival.
Source: American Brain Tumor Association · abta.org
ETMR
A rare and aggressive brain tumor that mostly affects very young children.
median age at diagnosis; most children are infants younger than 3
PubMed Central
children survive 5 years, making it one of the deadliest childhood brain tumors
PubMed Central
ETMR tumors are caused by extra copies of a gene cluster called C19MC
PubMed Central
of tumors could be removed entirely in one study; leaving any tumor behind is linked to worse survival
PubMed Central
There are no words to describe what it feels like to be told your child has a cancer where fewer than three in ten children survive five years. You’re trying to be a dad, trying to stay hopeful while making your child feel safe. And the whole time, you are carrying the unbearable fear that cancer may take them from you. No parent should face odds like these. Our kids deserve more than hope. They deserve to be a priority in cancer research, so they have a real chance to grow up.
ETMR (2019–2022)
ETMR mostly affects children under age 4. Most are diagnosed as infants younger than 3, at a median age of about 25 to 36 months.
Sources: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC7773839 · PMC12931075
Fewer than 3 in 10 children with ETMR survive 5 years, making it one of the deadliest childhood brain tumors.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC11803348
About 9 in 10 ETMR tumors are caused by extra copies of a gene cluster called C19MC. Most of the rest are linked to a gene called DICER1.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC11803348
Surgeons can remove the entire tumor in fewer than half of cases (43% in one study), and leaving any tumor behind is linked to worse survival.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC12931075
ETMR was only recognized as its own distinct type of brain tumor in 2016. Before that it was grouped with other tumors, so doctors are still learning about it.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central · PMC9638173
Chemotherapy is one of the few treatments consistently linked to better survival in ETMR, but there is still no standard treatment plan.
Source: NCBI PubMed Central
After Treatment
Outcomes and late effects both depend on the exact tumor type, which is why a single overall survival number can mislead.
Survival ranges enormously by exact tumor type, from under 2 years for the most aggressive types to 20 or more years for the most treatable ones, so a single overall survival number can be misleading.
Source: Neuro-Oncology (CBTRUS Pediatric Report) · academic.oup.com
How much of the tumor a surgeon can safely remove is one of the strongest predictors of long-term survival across nearly every pediatric brain tumor type.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Survivors, especially young children treated with radiation, face a lifelong higher risk of long-term effects on thinking, growth, hormones, and second cancers.
Source: NCI PDQ · cancer.gov
Sources for this page
- Neuro-Oncology: CBTRUS Statistical Report, pediatric brain and CNS tumors · academic.oup.com
- Neuro-Oncology: CBTRUS Statistical Report, primary brain and CNS tumors · academic.oup.com
- Neuro-Oncology: WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System summary · academic.oup.com
- Neuro-Oncology: SMARCB1 loss in ATRT · academic.oup.com
- NCI PDQ: Childhood Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors Treatment · cancer.gov
- NCI PDQ: Childhood Astrocytomas and Other Gliomas Treatment · cancer.gov
- NCBI PubMed Central: medulloblastoma five-year survival · PMC6059016
- NCBI PubMed Central: medulloblastoma molecular subtypes · PMC11726341
- NCBI PubMed Central: DIPG/DMG incidence · PMC9913210 · PMC5327458
- NCBI PubMed Central (Neuro-Oncology Advances): DIPG/DMG survival · PMC11582646
- NCBI PubMed Central: pediatric ependymoma incidence and age distribution · PMC8805767
- PubMed (Zapotocky et al., Cancer 2019): ependymoma molecular subgroups and outcomes · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- NCBI PubMed Central: ependymoma survival · PMC8732814
- NCBI PubMed Central: ependymoma resection and local recurrence · PMC4482960
- NCBI PubMed Central: ATRT in infancy · PMC12846430
- NCBI PubMed Central: ATRT survival and metastatic disease at diagnosis · PMC12468553
- NCBI PubMed Central: ATRT outcomes before and after 2011 (European study) · PMC8053862
- American Brain Tumor Association: Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) · abta.org
- NCBI PubMed Central: ETMR age at diagnosis · PMC7773839
- NCBI PubMed Central: ETMR survival and C19MC · PMC11803348
- NCBI PubMed Central: ETMR resection outcomes · PMC12931075
- NCBI PubMed Central: ETMR as a distinct tumor type since 2016 · PMC9638173
- Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) · cbtrus.org
- Neuro-Oncology (Society for Neuro-Oncology) · academic.oup.com/neuro-oncology
- International DIPG/DMG Registry · dipgregistry.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.