Incidence Rates
This year an estimated 15,780 children will be diagnosed with cancer in the US, that’s more than a classroom of kids a day.
35,000 children are currently in treatment for cancer.
Cancer kills more children than AIDs, asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and congenital anomalies combined.
The average age of death for a child with cancer is 8, causing a child to lose 69 years of expected life.
Survivorship
Childhood cancer survivors are at significant risk for secondary cancers later in life.
74% of childhood cancer survivors have chronic illnesses, and some 40% of childhood cancer survivors have severe illnesses or die from such illnesses.
In the last 20 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only two pediatric cancer drugs—Clolar (clofarabine) and Erwinaze (asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi)—that were initially studied in children. Other drugs for children’s cancers were first studied in or approved for adults with cancer.
Nebraska Facts
Nebraska ranks in the top 25% highest pediatric cancer incidence rates in the US but ranks 6th in mortality rates.
Every 4 days a Nebraska child will be diagnosed with cancer, which averages to approximatley 87 new diagnoses each year.
Nebraska will lose 1 child every month to pediatric cancer.