Childhood cancer survival rates show significant improvement

Survival rates for children diagnosed with cancer have significantly improved this century, according to data released by the Prinses Máxima Centrum, KiKa, and the Integraal Kankercentrum Nederland.

Data shows that 83.2 percent of children diagnosed between 2010 and 2014 were still alive ten years later. This marks an increase from 79.6 percent for those diagnosed between 2005 and 2009, and 77.1 percent for the 2000-2004 period. Edward Nieuwenhuis, medical director of the Prinses Máxima Centrum, attributed these gains to improved diagnostics and more effective treatments.

Specific improvements were noted in acute myeloid leukemia, where survival rates rose from 57 percent to 74 percent, and for certain brain tumors, which increased from 67 percent to 80 percent. Despite this progress, medical officials noted that one in six children with cancer still dies, highlighting the ongoing need for research into difficult-to-treat conditions such as neuroblastoma and brain stem cancer.