Cancer in children and adolescents is rare. Since 1975, the number of new cases of childhood cancer has slowly increased. Since 1975, the number of deaths from childhood cancer has decreased by more than half.
\nThe cancers listed in this summary are so rare that most children's hospitals are likely to see less than a handful of some types in several years. Because these cancers are so rare, there is not a lot of information about what treatment works best. A child's treatment is often based on what has been learned from treating other children. Sometimes, information is available only from reports of the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of one child or a small group of children who were given the same type of treatment.
\nMolecular testing of tumors can sometimes help plan treatment. Children newly diagnosed with a rare cancer listed below may be eligible for molecular testing through the Molecular Characterization Initiative.
\nThe Molecular Characterization Initiative offers free molecular testing to children, adolescents, and young adults with certain types of newly diagnosed cancer. The program is offered through NCI's Childhood Cancer Data Initiative. To learn more, visit About the Molecular Characterization Initiative.
\nMany different cancers are listed in this summary. They are grouped by where they are found in the body.
\nThe Rare Cancers of Childhood Treatment summary has been separated into individual summaries for each topic. Please use the lists below or visit the individual summaries at PDQ Cancer Information Summaries: Pediatric Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Nasopharyngeal Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Esthesioneuroblastoma.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Thyroid Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Oral Cavity Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Salivary Gland Tumors.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Laryngeal Tumors.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood NUT Carcinoma.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Breast Cancer Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit:
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Esophageal Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Heart Tumors.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Adrenocortical Carcinoma.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Stomach Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Pancreatic Cancer Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Colorectal Cancer Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Bladder Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Testicular Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Ovarian Cancer.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Cervical and Vaginal Cancers.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Mesothelioma.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN) Syndromes Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit:
\n \nTo learn more, visit Childhood Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma Treatment.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Chordoma.
\nTo learn more, visit Childhood Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Treatment.
\nFor more information from the National Cancer Institute about rare cancers of childhood, visit:
\nFor more childhood cancer information and other general cancer resources, visit:
\nPhysician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.
\nPDQ is a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is the federal government\u2019s center of biomedical research. The PDQ summaries are based on an independent review of the medical literature. They are not policy statements of the NCI or the NIH.
\nThis PDQ cancer information summary has current information about the treatment of rare cancers of childhood. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.
\nEditorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary (\"Updated\") is the date of the most recent change.
\nThe information in this patient summary was taken from the health professional version, which is reviewed regularly and updated as needed, by the PDQ Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board.
\nA clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become \"standard.\" Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
\nClinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
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\nThe best way to cite this PDQ summary is:
\nPDQ\u00ae Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Rare Cancers of Childhood Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/patient/rare-childhood-cancers-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389276]
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