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Racial Disparities In U.S. Childhood And Adolescent Cancer Diagnosis And Survival, Xiaoyan Wang

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2020, an estimated 16,850 new cases and 1,730 cancer deaths are expected to occur in U.S. children and adolescents under 20 years of age. Childhood cancer is rare compared to cancers in adults. However, it is the most common disease-related cause of death among children and adolescents, accounting for approximately 13% of all childhood deaths in 2015. Although the overall five-year survival rate for childhood and adolescent cancers has increased to 85%, largely due to advances in treatment, supportive care, and high rates of participation in clinical trials, racial/ethnic disparities in cancer diagnosis and prognosis remain a big concern. …