Research: Every day 20 children die in the battle with cancer

Every day about 20 children and teenagers die from cancer, while… recorded each year about 35,000 new cases of cancer in children and young people(15,000 in children under 15 years of age and 20,000 young people 15-24 years of age), in Europe.
One child in every 600 new births will develop cancer before their 20th birthday, it is encouraging that 80 % can be cured with combination therapy. Today, 300.000-500.000 inhabitants of the EU are survivors of cancer childhood.
The above mentioned by the Apostle Πουρτσίδης, President of the Hellenic society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology (ΕΕΠΑΟ), on the occasion of the 29th February, World Day of Rare Diseases, stressing that the message of ΕΕΠΑΟ for this year’s celebration is: “rare diseases require equally attention and care”.
Rare disease’s and cancer in children and adolescents, stresses mr Πουρτσίδης, indicating that the incidence of cancer in children and adolescents under the age of 20 years old who live in the developed world is estimated at less than 2% of all neoplasms of all age groups.
Despite the rarity, however, is a serious public health problem and as explains mr. Πουρτσίδης, not only because of the bad outcome it can have, but also because of the severe impact of the child, the parents and the immediate environment of relatives and friends.
It remains, after all, the first cause of death from disease after infancy and the second in frequency cause of death in developed countries after the accidents and suicides in adolescents, despite the significant progress that has been made in the diagnosis, treatment and outcome.
The message of ΕΕΠΑΟ for this year’s World Day of Rare Diseases, reports Αθηναίκό Agency, is that “rare diseases require equally attention and care”.