Cancer can strike at any age, from infancy through adulthood. But the cancers that affect children are unique in several key ways. Here’s a breakdown of how childhood cancer is different from adult cancer.

Children get different cancers than adults do.

The most common cancers that adults get are lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer, but these are extremely rare in children. The most common cancers in children are leukemia, brain tumors, lymphomas and sarcomas. Some childhood cancers, like retinoblastoma and neuroblastoma, are almost always diagnosed in young children. 

Cancer behaves differently in children than in adults.

Children’s bodies are different from adult’s, and even when it’s the same type of cancer, childhood cancer tends to behave differently than adult cancer. This is why it’s so important that children with cancer are treated at a pediatric cancer center, where they can be cared for by a team that specializes in children with cancer and their unique needs.

Childhood cancers are aggressive.

When an adult is diagnosed with cancer, they can often take some time before beginning treatment to visit with family, take a special trip or cross some things off their bucket list. But children typically need to start treatment right away. This is because their cancers tend to be more aggressive, and they are often more advanced when they are diagnosed.

Childhood cancers are treated differently than adult cancers.

Because their cancers tend to be aggressive, children with cancer need aggressive treatment. This makes them more susceptible to late effects — side effects that can surface months or years after treatment ends. Two out of three childhood cancer survivors will experience late effects from their treatment, and some — like heart disease, diabetes and secondary cancers — can be life threatening. Most childhood cancer survivors need to be monitored for these late effects for the rest of their lives.

There’s nothing a parent can do to prevent their child from getting cancer.

Doctors don’t know why some children get cancer. Unlike many adult cancers, childhood cancers aren’t caused by lifestyle choices, like diet and smoking. Though very rare, there have been some cases where children developed cancer from exposure to environmental toxins, such as polluted drinking water. And there are some genetic conditions, like Down syndrome and Li-Fraumeni syndrome, that increase a child’s risk of getting cancer. But for the most part, childhood cancers happen because of spontaneous genetic mutations, or random changes in the child’s DNA. Because these changes happen randomly, there’s no way to predict who will get childhood cancer and when, and there’s no way to stop it from happening (though it’s possible scientists could find a way in the future).

We can’t stop childhood cancer from striking, but we can give our support to the children and families facing the most difficult time of their lives. Your donation to the American Childhood Cancer Organization will help us continue to advocate for and provide resources and support to children with cancer and their families. Please give today.

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

Grayson is helping kids with cancer by raising awareness!

In October 2014, Grayson was airlifted  to Minneapolis for emergency surgery. At that time, the family found out about a mass in the center of his brain, which blocked fluid from draining into his brain stem and down his spinal cord. He was only four years old. After a biopsy, the family received Grayson’s diagnosis – grade 2 diffuse astrocytoma, a cancerous brain tumor. 

Grayson has gone through radiation treatment, chemotherapy, various medication changes, and robotic surgery. Grayson is a survivor.  Through it all he continues to sport an attitude of joy. 

In September of 2020, Grayson encouraged his elementary staff and students to “GO GOLD” for childhood cancer awareness. Every Friday, the students and staff wore gold to show their support. Schools in his area even contributed to the awareness events by ‘going gold’ in their own way. 

In mid September, Grayson led the football team onto the Spearfish Spartans field. “That night, Grayson was glowing brighter than his gold cape that he was wearing. While the team and Grayson entered the field the announcer was telling Grayson’s story, he ended by encouraging everyone to wear gold and support childhood cancer awareness.  “It was a tearful event for this momma’s heart” said Chelsey, Grayson’s mother. Most of the football players knew Grayson’s name and were happy to see him. They welcomed him onto the field with fist bumps, high fives and hugs. 

Grayson is 10 years old, in fourth grade and thriving. He even encouraged his community and surrounding areas to “GO GOLD” for childhood cancer. In early October, Grayson and his family entered their custom vinyl decaled van which says “Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness” on all sides. Grayson, his family and friends walked or rode bikes down the streets of Spearfish, South Dakota in the homecoming parade to help raise awareness for childhood cancer.  Thirty kids wearing gold capes and “No One Fights Alone – Be Bold, Go Gold” shirts and riding their bikes, which were decked out in gold ribbons, showed their support and encouraged their community to “GO GOLD” for children fighting against cancer. 

The American Childhood Cancer Organization provides resources and support to families of children with childhood cancer. Please donate so we can continue to provide our services free of charge.

After Giovanna’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer she started radiation therapy as treatment. Giovanna knew that she wanted to help kids and their families understand radiation therapy so she made it her mission to learn all she could. She attended treatment appointments, shadowed radiation staff and had a special radiation mask made of her face in order to better understand what pediatric patients experience

Giovanna was in pursuit of the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.  After failing to find enough age appropriate information about radiation therapy geared towards kids, she decided to close this gap by writing a book targeted to children entitled, “A Kid’s Guide to Radiation Therapy.” The book helps children and their families learn more about radiation therapy treatment in easy to learn language. Not only is this book in English, it is also translated into Spanish! 

While writing the book, Giovanna was able to obtain medically accurate information from radiation therapists and Certified Child Life Specialists at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. She was also able to speak with the radiation oncologist and radiation therapist at City of Hope South Bay’s Department of Radiation Oncology. 

Background on the Girl Scout Gold Award: Every year Girl Scouts of Senior and Ambassador rank plan and execute service projects geared towards issues they care about . The honor is given to Girl Scouts whose projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact, and addressed a local challenge related to a national and/or global issue. These young women are taking matters into their own hands, generating much-needed change! 

Giovanna will continue her mission to educate and inspire others through her project and create a lasting impact to better the futures of pediatric patients and their families. 

Read the book here.

The American Childhood Cancer Organization provides resources and support to families of children with childhood cancer. Please donate so we can continue to provide our services free of charge.

Jeff Bryant, Ostesarcoma survivor

Teens and young adults are a unique population of cancer patients. They commonly get different cancers than children and older adults, their cancers behave differently, and they face distinct challenges. Here’s a look at how cancer affects this age group.

Most Common Cancers in Teens and Young Adults

For teens and young adults, the most common cancers include:

• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Brain and spinal cord tumors
• Sarcomas
• Skin cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid cancer

Diagnosing Cancer in Teens and Young Adults

If your doctor suspects that you have cancer, they might order a blood test or a urine test to look for abnormalities that could be a sign of cancer. They might also order imaging tests such as X-rays or MRIs. The most conclusive way to diagnose cancer is with a biopsy, where a doctor collects a sample of cells from the suspected tumor and sends them to a lab, where they are examined under a microscope. A biopsy can also confirm the type of cancer you have and its grade, which will help determine your course of treatment.

Cancer in teens and young adults is often diagnosed late, when the cancer is at a more advanced stage. This can be due to a number of factors:

• Teens and young adults are usually healthy and don’t regularly see a doctor.
• Teens and young adults are more likely than other age groups to not have health insurance.
• Cancer in teens and young adults is rare, so they might be inclined to blame their symptoms on something else.

Treatment for Teens and Young Adults with Cancer

Treatment for cancer in teens and young adults depends on many factors, including the type of cancer, the patient’s age and how advanced the cancer is. Most cancers are treated with chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or a combination of the three.

Teens and young adults may be treated on a pediatric cancer protocol or an adult cancer protocol. Research shows that for some types of cancer, like acute lymphoblastic leukemia, survival is much improved if they are treated on a pediatric cancer protocol.

Challenges for Teens and Young Adults with Cancer

Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is difficult for anyone, but teens and young adults with cancer face special challenges. Their diagnosis is coming during some of their most formative years, when they are discovering who they are. At a time when they are striving to become more autonomous — maybe they’re starting their first job or moving out of their parents’ home — cancer forces them to become dependent on their parents or others for support.

For teens who are undergoing puberty and becoming more aware of their body image, the hair loss, weight changes and other physical changes that come with cancer treatment can be especially difficult. Teens are also in a period where relationships and fitting in with their peers are of the utmost importance, and the isolation of cancer treatment can be particularly devastating for this group.

Unlike younger children, teens and young adults are also more aware of what a cancer diagnosis means in terms of their survival and possible late effects. For all these reasons, it can be very helpful for teens and young adults with cancer to talk to a professional who has experience working with young people with cancer.

Journaling can be another helpful way to process the complex emotions of a cancer journey. Dance in the Rain: A Journal for Teens with Cancer is designed to help adolescents navigate the ups and downs of their diagnosis, and they can register to receive this and many other resources free of charge by completing this form.

Late Effects of Treatment for Teens and Young Adults with Cancer

The treatment for cancer in teens and young adults can sometimes cause side effects that appear months or years after treatment has ended. These late effects can include:

• Fertility problems
• Hormone imbalances
• Heart or lung problems
• Hearing or vision problems
• Secondary cancers

Because of these risks, it’s important for survivors to follow up with their doctor in the years after treatment ends, and to be upfront with any new doctors about their medical history.

Kelsie’s Story: Living and Loving BIG

Kelsie had been battling persistent headaches for months. Then she started losing her vision. At 13, cancer was the furthest thing from her mind, but that’s what the tests would confirm she had: glioblastoma, an aggressive, fast-growing brain tumor.

Kelsie underwent surgery to remove the tumor, followed by one month of radiation and chemotherapy, and another year of chemotherapy. For 18 months after treatment, Kelsie was cancer free and thriving. She was active in her school, community and church, and even made the varsity cheerleading squad one month after brain surgery. “She never stopped striving for success in everything she did,” her mom, Tracey, says.

Then, in January 2018, the cancer returned. This time, there were multiple tumors and surgery wasn’t an option. Kelsie entered a clinical trial in the hopes of beating her cancer again, but it wasn’t enough. She passed away just weeks after her 17th birthday.

“Kelsie loved the people in her life BIG and with all she had. Her life made such a huge impact on everyone that knew her,” Tracey remembers. “Cancer can take many things from us, but it can never take the love and the legacy our loved ones leave behind.”

The American Childhood Cancer Organization provides resources and support to children, teens and families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis. Please donate so we can continue to offer our services free of charge. 

Amazon + ACCO’s Ambassador Elizabeth is on a mission to help raise childhood cancer awareness and she’s making great strides.

In early October, Elizabeth was awarded the 2021 4-H Youth in Action Pillar Award for Civic Engagement for her work to help support kids with cancer and their families. When Elizabeth was 12 years old, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma and during hospital stays she found her family frequently visiting the store to get supplies like toothpaste and shampoo that they may have forgotten. 

“I knew as soon as I got out of that hospital, I wanted to do something about that for other families” remembers Elizabeth. 

In 2016, Elizabeth launched her program, Crowns Fight Cancer, to help kids with cancer and their families. Elizabeth solicited donations like toiletries and snacks and donated them directly to the local children’s hospital. 

To date, Elizabeth has donated more than 60,000 essential items to five different children’s hospitals in her area in the past four years. 

“4-H has empowered me to grow as a leader, not only in my community and state, but on the national level in spite of my long journey with Stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma cancer,” she said. “At the time of my diagnosis, and subsequent relapses and progression, 4-H has been my constant companion, encouraging me to be who I am and teaching me to be resilient when life presented me with the toughest challenge a child needed to overcome: cancer.”

Read more about the award here. 

The American Childhood Cancer Organization provides resources and support to families of children with neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers. Please donate so we can continue to provide our services free of charge.