Cancer in children and adolescents is rare but is still one of the most frequent causes of death in this age group in Switzerland. SPOG carries out research so that these children and adolescents have a future.
Every year, around 350 children and adolescents in Switzerland develop cancer. Without treatment, virtually none of these children would survive the disease. Today, an average of almost nine out of ten children can be successfully treated. Those affected and their families primarily have clinical research to thank for this fact.
350
children and adolescents in Switzerland develop cancer every year
36
Children and adolescents die of cancer in Switzerland on average per year
87%
of children can, on average, be successfully treated
An overview of types of cancer in children and adolescents
Children and adolescents develop various types of cancer. You can find an overview of the most common cancers in children and adolescents below.
Leukaemias are the most common type of cancer affecting children and adolescents, accounting for around 30% of all cases. They develop in bone marrow and lead to an uncontrolled proliferation of immature white blood cells. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for children, since more than 95% of cases are acute and progress rapidly. Different types of leukaemia have to be investigated in different studies.
Tumours that grow in the central nervous system, in other words in the brain and spinal cord, account for just under a quarter of cases, and are the second-most common type of cancer in children and adolescents. There are numerous types of brain and spinal cord tumours that are being researched in various studies. You can find further information about the individual disorders in the glossary further below.
Lymphomas are malignant cancers that can manifest as swellings of the lymph nodes, amongst other things. They are also referred to colloquially as "cancer of the lymph nodes". In Switzerland, lymphomas are the third-most common type of cancer in children and adolescents, accounting for 11% of all cases. There are two main types: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). They are also described as systemic diseases, because they can usually affect the entire body via the lymphatic system.
Neuroblastomas are malignant tumours that only occur in certain cells of the nervous system. These cells are located in the adrenal glands and on both sides of the spinal column. For this reason, neuroblastomas may occur in the adrenal glands and anywhere along the length of the spinal column – in the abdomen, pelvis, chest and neck. This disease occurs primarily in early childhood, and affects around 7% of children and adolescents with cancer.
Cancer in soft tissue may affect various types of tissue such as muscles, tendons, fatty tissue or connective and nerve tissue. These tumours are called sarcomas. In children, the most common type of soft tissue tumour is rhabdomyosarcoma, which develops in muscle tissue.
Children are most likely to suffer from a particular form of kidney cancer known as nephroblastoma (Wilms tumour). Children between three and four years of age are most likely to be affected. Fortunately, the chances of recovery are very good following treatment.
Tumours in bones, known as osteosarcomas, are the result of abnormal cells that usually form bone. This disease is aggressive and, if left untreated, is fatal. Osteosarcomas can occur at any age, but in children and adolescents particularly during puberty. Children under the age of five are only very rarely affected.
Germ cell tumours are tumours that can develop before birth or later from immature cells (stem cells) and from the precursor cells of reproductive organs (egg cells in females and sperm in males). These tumours may occur in various parts of the body, but are most frequently found around the coccyx, in the ovaries, testicles or central nervous system. Infants and young children up to one year of age are most frequently affected by this rare disease.
