The Knowledge Centre on Cancer has launched a new section on childhood cancers as part of the European Cancer Information System (ECIS). ECIS is developed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), together with the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR).

The cancers were classified using the most recent edition of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. It contains indicators on the extent and types of cancers affecting children (aged 0-19) in Europe. By bringing together data from across Europe, the new tool will make it easier to analyse and compare the data on childhood cancers’ incidence, and share good practices for diagnosis, treatment and care of these rare cancers.

Insights on childhood cancer

According to ECIS predictions, almost 16 000 children were diagnosed and around 2 000 are estimated to have died from cancer in 2020. The data shows that the three most common types of cancer in children across Europe are leukaemia, tumours of the central nervous system, and lymphomas. While this is constant across Europe’s countries and regions, it is quite different to the most common types of cancer affecting adults (breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, colorectal cancer and lung cancer).

Check out the new section

List of registries involved