CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH 2023: HERE ARE SOME FACTS

WHAT IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH? The purpose of CCAM, or Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, is to raise awareness of and support for children with cancer.

WHEN IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH? Every September, it takes place everywhere. The first Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) was held in 1990, and the 33rd one will be in 2023.

HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT CHILDHOOD CANCER

CHILDHOOD CANCER IS RARE. In the UK, children ages 0 to 14 are diagnosed with about 1,800 new cases annually. Each year, more than 300,000 kids are given cancer diagnoses worldwide.

AT VARIOUS AGES, VARIOUS FORMS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER ARE MORE FREQUENT Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and neuroblastoma are two cancer types that most frequently affect children under the age of five. While some malignancies, including bone tumors, are uncommon in early children, they become increasingly prevalent with age and reach their peak incidence around adolescence.

THE MOST FREQUENT CHILDHOOD CANCER IS ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA (ALL) White blood cells can develop a malignancy called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The cancer spreads swiftly and aggressively, frequently necessitating prompt treatment.

IN RECENT YEARS, THE INCIDENCE OF CHILDHOOD CANCER HAS RISEN BY 15% Children's cancer incidence rates increased by 15% during the early 1990s. But it's believed that this might be because of advancements in diagnosis and registration.

RADIATION AND CHEMOTHERAPY ARE NO LONGER THE ONLY OPTIONS FOR TREATING CHILDHOOD CANCER Cancer therapies have undergone significant change and are now highly specialised. In order to cure some blood cancers and diseases, therapies including stem cell transplants have become popular.

FAMILIES OFTEN HAVE TO TRAVEL FOR CANCER TREATMENT Although there are therapies for childhood cancer in the UK, not every town or city has access to them, so families frequently have to travel.

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