Approximately 200 children are diagnosed with cancer each year in Ireland.1 Average survival rates continue to increase and are at 80%, however, it remains as the leading cause of death in children over the age of 12 and treatment leaves most survivors with long-term side effects. The Irish Cancer Society is one of many organisations marking childhood cancer awareness month this September, to support the families coping with this disease and work to improve treatments and support available to them in Ireland.
The incidence of cancer in children increases with age, to a moderate risk by 15 years (1 in 450) to a substantial risk by the age of 20 (1 in 320).3 This incidence is comparable to other childhood illnesses that are seen as more common, such as diabetes and epilepsy. The small numbers of children diagnosed each year makes it a challenge to detect in primary care by a GP who may only see one case in their career; however, the individual risk for each child is quite high, and GP’s need to be equipped with the educational resources and guidance to make detection and referral as streamlined as possible.
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