Why childhood cancer is different

The methods and medicines used to treat adults are not directly transferrable and there are no obvious behavioural preventions like giving up smoking or staying out of the sun.

By definition, all childhood cancers are rare cancers, making up less than one per cent of the total number of new cancer diagnoses in Australia each year.

Comparing the lifetime health burden of childhood vs. adult cancer survivors.

Cured is not enough

The ‘stagger’ in the data shows that while a typical person starts accumulating health issues slowly in their 40s and 50s, childhood cancer survivors hit those same health milestones 20 to 30 years earlier.

By the time a survivor reaches age 50, they are managing roughly the same number of chronic conditions as an 80-year-old in the general population. This staggered timeline is the primary reason why ANZCHOG advocates for research into ‘kinder’ treatments…To flatten that survivor line and give these children a healthier future.

Incidence: Aggregated data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the NZ National Child Cancer Network.

Late Effects: Benchmarks from the St. Jude LIFE study and the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), which are the gold standards used by ANZCHOG researchers.

6.5 year lag

When a miracle drug for cancer makes headlines, the world celebrates. But for a child with a rare or aggressive cancer, that headline is often a hollow promise.

Current global data shows a 6.5-year median gap between the moment a new cancer drug is first tested in adults and the moment a paediatric trial even begins. In the world of childhood cancer, where every week counts, six years is a lifetime.

The median years taken after breakthrough in adult treatment to begin paediatric treatment.

Data Source: DuBois et al. (2024) European Journal of Cancer.

Less than 1%

Childhood Cancer accounts for 1% of all cancer diagnoses in both Australia and New Zealand

2 in 3 Survivors

Approximately 66% to 70% of those who survive will suffer from at least one chronic "late effect" caused by their treatment, such as heart issues, fertility problems, or secondary cancers.

70 Years Lost

Each time a child is lost to cancer, an average of 70 potential years of life are taken.

“Most of the gains in childhood cancer survival have occurred as a direct result of improvements in treatment through international collaborative clinical trials and supportive care.”

– Australian Childhood Cancer Registry (ACCR)