Until the 1960s, most children affected by leukemia would quickly die from it. Now, most children in rich countries are cured.

In the past, when I’d hear the words childhood leukemia, I’d picture a young child who suddenly became seriously ill, and whose parents were told their child had only a few years to live.

I’d wonder how a child might grasp the idea of limited time, or how painful it must have been to face the possibility of missing out on growing up, discovering who they are, and forming deep friendships. It would also be a tragic experience for their family, friends, and classmates, who might struggle to understand what’s happening.

This picture, reflected in films, books, and television, depicts what used to be a grim reality. Childhood leukemia was fatal for the vast majority of children who developed it in the past. Before the 1970s, fewer than 10% of children diagnosed with the disease survived five years after diagnosis.

But since then, this outlook has improved dramatically. In North America and Europe, around 85% now survive that long.

What made this dramatic change possible? In this article, I’ll describe the progress achieved and some concrete reasons behind it.

This article focuses on data from North America and Europe; death rates from childhood cancers have also declined in other world regions, but remain higher.

Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, and its mortality rates have been reduced substantially

Childhood leukemia has become much more treatable

Coordination, drug development, and molecular research have driven progress in treating leukemia

Chemotherapy is better tailored to each child

Large collaborations made better research possible

Breakthroughs in genetic and molecular research led to further progress

Better supportive care helped children

...read more at ourworldindata.org