Childhood Leukaemia Rates Drop Worldwide

Leukaemia, the most common cancer in children, is becoming less frequent worldwide. A major global study shows that between 1990 and 2021, childhood leukaemia rates steadily declined — bringing real progress in the fight against this disease.

“This steady decline shows that advances in treatment and early detection are saving lives and changing the outlook for children with leukaemia,” the research team emphasised.

The analysis reviewed data from 204 countries and found that in 2021, there were 58,785 new cases globally, with an incidence rate of 2.92 per 100,000 children aged 0–14, down from 4.37 per 100,000 in 1990. This reflects an annual decrease of nearly 0.9% over three decades. Progress has been especially strong in high- and middle-income regions, proving that modern treatments and early diagnosis are making a lasting difference for children everywhere.