Common Types Archives

What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?

by Rally Foundation | Jul 6, 2020

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short, is a type of blood cancer that causes bone marrow to overproduce a type of white blood cells called lymphoblasts. ALL is the most common type of cancer that affects kids, accounting for roughly 30% of all cases of childhood cancer. Lymphoblasts are immature white blood cells that are responsible for identifying and destroying foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. When someone has ALL, the bone marrow...

What is Wilms Tumor?

by Rally Foundation | Jun 29, 2020

Wilms tumor is a type of kidney cancer that primarily develops in children around the ages of three and four. It’s the most common type of kidney cancer found in kids. Approximately 9 out of 10 kidney cancers in children are Wilms tumors, sometimes known as nephroblastoma. There are two types of Wilms tumors that are classified by their histology, or how they look microscopically: favorable histology and anaplastic histology. A Wilms tumor with favorable histology means that, while the tumor...

What is Retinoblastoma?

by Rally Foundation | Jun 22, 2020

In simple terms, retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that develops in the immature cells of the retina. Though it is rare—with approximately 300 children diagnosed in the U.S. each year—it is the most common eye cancer in children. This malignant intraocular cancer rarely occurs in adults. Retinoblastoma can occur in one or both eyes and is caused by genetic mutations in the nerve cells of the retina. The retina is comprised of nerve tissue and is the part of the eye that’s responsible for sensing...

What is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)?

by Rally Foundation | Jun 15, 2020

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer of the myeloid cells that normally form white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. AML originates in the bone marrow, where the leukemia cells build up and overcrowd normal cells. The leukemia cells often move into the bloodstream fairly quickly. AML is the second most common form of childhood leukemia, after acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). AML is much more common in adults versus children; the average age of diagnosis is 68. There are...

Cancer in Teens and Young Adults

by admin | Jan 6, 2019

Childhood cancer is a big problem. In the U.S. alone, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every school day. But it doesn’t just affect school-age children -- babies, teens, and young adults can get childhood cancer, too. In the last 20 years, thanks to research, many more young children and older adults are surviving their cancers. But that’s not the case for teens and young adults. Teens and young adults are unique. Their cancers are different, their bodies are different, and they face...

What Are the Most Common Childhood Cancers?

by Rally Foundation | Dec 19, 2018

It’s no secret that adults get cancer. But children get cancer, too -- and it’s more common than you might think. Worldwide, 300,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer every year. And in the U.S., 1 in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before they turn 20. There are many types of childhood cancers. Some cancers are more common in children than adults, and there are some cancers that only children get. Here’s a look at some of the most common childhood cancers. Leukemia The most common...