About Childhood Cancer

Cancer in Australia

What are the most common types of new cases of cancer in Australia?

Source: AIHW Australian Cancer Database 2015.

During 2011–2015, the most common cancers among children aged 0–14 fell into 3 broad cancer groups (ICCC-3):

  • leukaemias (5.8 per 100,000 or 35% of all cases), including lymphoid leukaemias (27% of all cases)
  • central nervous system (including brain) cancers (2.3 cases per 100,000 children aged 0–14 or 14%)
  • lymphomas (2.2 cases per 100,000 children aged 0–14 or 13%), including:
    • Hodgkin lymphomas (3.8%)
    • Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (except Burkitt lymphoma) (3.5%).

There were more new cases of cancer for children aged 0–4 than for older children.

Most common types of new cancers among children aged 0-14, 2011–2015

This stacked bar chart shows the most common types of new cancers among children aged 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14. Across all age groups, leukaemias were the most common type of new cancer.
Source: AIHW Australian Cancer Database 2015. Website