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Over nine in ten childhood cancer deaths in poorer countries

In 2023 alone, as per the study, there were 3.77 lakh new cases of childhood cancer and 1.44 lakh deaths worldwide.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Apr 3, 2026 09:51 AM IST

Childhood cancer deaths are heavily concentrated in poorer countries. (File Photo)

Childhood cancers were the eight leading cause of death in children globally — killing more than common infectious conditions such as measles, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. With outcomes largely determined by resource availability, 94% of the deaths in 2023 were concentrated in low and middle income countries, according to the atest findings from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study published today in The Lancet.

There were 377,000 new cases of childhood cancer and 144,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the research.

Cancer in numbers

In India, childhood cancers were the tenth leading cause of deaths among children, killing 17,000 in 2023, according to the study. “Despite this childhood cancer is not included in India’s national cancer control planning,”Dr Venkatraman Radhakrishnan, Professor of Medical Oncology at the Cancer Institute (W.I.A), Adyar, Chennai, said.

The national programme screens only for the three most common forms of cancers seen in men and women — oral, cervical, and breast.

While mortality declined globally, the estimates show that the children in low and middle-income countries face the most severe consequences. South Asia accounts for 20.5 percent or one in five global child cancer deaths. Not only that, the report shows there was a 16.9 percent increase in childhood cancer deaths from 1990 to 2023.

The economic burden

The number of new cases of childhood cancers has been relatively stable globally, while the number of deaths have decreased by 27%. These cancers, however, were concentrated in the low and middle income countries. The estimates show that 85% of new cases, 94% of deaths, and 94% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2023 were from these countries.

DALYs measure the total years of healthy life lost by examining the years lost from premature death and years lived with disability.

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“The study highlights the substantial burden of childhood cancer in low and middle-income countries. Most of these deaths are preventable. Addressing this requires urgent inclusion of childhood cancer in national cancer control plans, alongside investment in early diagnosis, access to essential treatment, strong supportive care, and robust cancer registries to guide planning and improve outcomes,” Dr Radhakrishnan said.

Lisa Force, lead author from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine, added: “While outcomes for many childhood cancers have improved in high-income countries, these gains have not been equitably shared. The vast majority of children with cancer live in low- and middle-income countries, where delays in diagnosis, lack of access to essential cancer treatment, and other health system limitations and barriers to care can contribute to disparities in childhood cancer burden.”

Also Read | Understanding the emotional and psychological impact of cancer on kids

What needs to be done

To address this inequality, there is a need for expanded investment in cancer control systems in the low and middle income countries, including referral systems that support timely diagnosis, workforce training, access to chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, as well as stronger cancer registration and surveillance systems.

Study authors note that information on childhood cancer burden is crucial for effective cancer policy planning. “Unfortunately, observed paediatric cancer data are not available in every country, and previous global burden estimates have not discretely reported several common cancers of childhood. We aimed to inform efforts to address childhood cancer burden globally by analysing …GBD 2023,” authors of the study said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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