EUROPE – Among both children and teenagers as young adults, the survival rate from cancer has increased in recent years. But children have better survival chances than teenagers and young adults.

The researchers published their results in the journal Lancet, after analyzing the five-year survival among children and young adults in 27 European countries.

Affected by various cancer

Generally, the survival of cancer is better among teenagers and young adults than in children, but it is because they suffer from different forms of cancer, the researchers wrote.

However, when eight relatively common cancers were compared among themselves, it turns out that children have a much better chance of being alive five years after diagnosis, compared with teens and young adults.

No good explanation for differences

For example, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is the most common form of blood cancer, the survival rate averages 86 percent of children five years after diagnosis compared with 56 per cent of teenagers and young adults.

For cancers that originate in the muscles (rhabdomyosarcoma), the survival rate is 38 in teenagers and young adults and 67 percent in children.

Similar patterns appeared for all diagnoses examined. The researchers have no good explanation for the differences and calls for further studies.