Rare childhood cancers

Compared with adult cancers, childhood cancers are rare and there are a number of very rare types which account for around 20-25% of all childhood cancers. Most behave like other children’s cancers, growing and spreading to other parts of the body.

Rare children’s cancers are broadly categorised as follows:-

Children’s liver tumours – Two types: Hepatoblastoma (usually occurs in children under five) and Hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC (which is rarer and usually occurs in older children). Liver cancer can be either primary (starting in the liver) or secondary (metastatic and spread from another part of the body).

Other rare childhood cancers -

Tumours that normally only occur in adults are occasionally found in children and include cancers of the digestive system, the thyroid, and the adrenal gland.

Rare tumours which only occur in children include pancreatoblastoma, malignant rhabdoid tumours, and melanotic neuroectodermal tumours of infancy

Rare tumours in the head and neck area (nasopharyngeal cancer)

Rare hormonal/endocrine tumours (phaeochromocytoma)

Rare brain tumours (meningioma)

Rare skin tumours (including melanomas)