Outcomes of childhood cancer treatment at an excellent level everywhere in Finland

Pediatric cancer treatment is centralized to five university hospitals in Finland that treat all types of pediatric cancer. HUS New Children’s Hospital performs CAR T-cell therapy and allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

The most common childhood cancers are acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and malign brain tumors. Other childhood cancers include neuroblastoma, childhood nephroblastoma, or Wilms tumor, and osteosarcoma meaning bone cancer. 

The survival rate of patients diagnosed with cancer before the age of 16 has increased from 81.2 percent to 87.7 percent in the 2000s. The five-year survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is currently at 95 percent in Finland.

Five-year survival rate, all childhood cancers in under 16-year-olds (6,761 patients)
Years	Survival rate
1981–1990	73.5%
1991–2000	81.2%
2001–2010	83.2%
2011–2022	87.7%

The data is compiled from the Finnish Cancer Registry, the quality register for pediatric oncology at pediatric clinics, and a research project conducted by specialists in pediatric hematology and oncology as part of a larger Nordic project.

Toward even better outcomes through collaboration and new therapies

The excellent treatment outcomes for children are based on close national and international research collaboration and uniform treatment protocols. National collaboration will be further strengthened in the future by increasing consultations between professionals, managing difficult patient cases jointly, and arranging smoother mobility for medical professionals between hospitals.

Childhood cancers often differ from adult cancers in both clinical presentation and treatment. Children generally tolerate even intense therapies better than adults. Childhood cancer therapies utilize the newest methods, such as antibody-based therapies and CAR T-cell therapy. The majority of Finnish child patients participate in international clinical trials. The quality of treatment—diagnostics, treatment, and prognosis—is monitored and continuously compared with international results. Treatment recommendations are updated based on this information as needed.