Childhood cancers: better survival rates, lingering challenges
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In France, doctors diagnose around 2,300 cases of childhood cancer each year, representing 1 to 2% of all cancers. While these cancers are rare, they are often aggressive, and survival rates have improved significantly, exceeding 80% in France.
The majority of these cancers affect children under 17, with leukemias, central nervous system tumors, and lymphomas being the most common types.
Researchers are still working to understand the causes, and while genetic factors are often questioned by parents, evidence of environmental impacts like pesticides remains inconclusive. Survival rates for children diagnosed with cancer between 2000 and 2016 rose from 81% to 85% in France, a trend seen in other wealthy nations. However, some childhood cancers, like certain central nervous system tumors in infants, remain difficult to treat. Children in low- and middle-income countries face much lower survival rates, often below 30%.
The World Health Organization plans to launch a free medicine delivery program in 2025 to address this disparity. French doctors have made considerable progress in treating childhood cancers through more effective chemotherapy, specialized care teams, and nationally and internationally coordinated treatment plans. The Interregional Pediatric Oncology Network coordinates care across the Nord-Ouest region, and participates in the European ITCC consortium to deliver the most up-to-date treatments.
The "Septembre en Or" (Golden September) campaign, launched in 2012 in the United States and 2016 in France, raises funds for research, innovative therapies, and long-term follow-up care for survivors.
