New Zealand Children's Cancer Registry Report
Childhood Cancer by Diagnostic Group, 2010 - 2014
Childhood cancer is developmental in origin, arising in growing and developing tissues and caused by the corruption of developmentally regulated genes. Hence, the natural patterns and types of cancer seen in children are very different to cancers seen in adults, which are strongly influenced by age, lifestyle and environmental risk factors. The relative rarity of childhood cancers, their unique biology and response to therapy, combined with the special needs of the child and their family mandates specialised care in dedicated child cancer treatment centres.
