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Rare Tumors In Children and Adolescents pp 3–13Cite as

Rare Tumors: A Different Perspective on Oncology

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Part of the book series: Pediatric Oncology ((PEDIATRICO))

Abstract

Compared to cancer in adults, childhood cancer is rare, accounting for significantly less than 1% of all cancer diagnoses. Since increasing age constitutes a significant risk factor for the development of cancer, it is supposed that the overall prevalence of cancer will continuously increase while the average life expectancy rises. In contrast, birthrates are declining in most western countries, thus leading to a further decline of the overall incidence rate of childhood cancer. Thus, the question arises, what will define a rare tumor in childhood and adolescence, if the overall numbers are generally low. Is a rare cancer defined only by incidence numbers, or do specific clinical, pathological, or biological characteristics define a tumor to be rare?

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, 2015 Uppergate Drive, N.E., Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Thomas A. Olson

  2. Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Clinic of Pediatrics, Beurhausstr. 40, Klinikum Dortmund, 44137, Dortmund, Germany

    Dominik T. Schneider

  3. Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Erlangen, Loschgestrasse 15, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Ines B. Brecht

  4. Pediatric Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133, Milano, Italy

    Andrea Ferrari

Authors
  1. Thomas A. Olson
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  2. Dominik T. Schneider
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  3. Ines B. Brecht
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  4. Andrea Ferrari
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dominik T. Schneider .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Klinikum Dortmund gGmbH, Beurhausstr. 40, Dortmund, 44137, Germany

    Dominik T. Schneider

  2. Klinik für Kinder und Jugendliche, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen-Nürnberg, Loschgestr. 15, Erlangen, 91054, Germany

    Ines B. Brecht

  3. at Egleston, Dept. Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Uppergate Drive NE., 2015, Atlanta, 30322, Georgia, USA

    Thomas A. Olson

  4. Unità di Oncologia Pediatrica, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via G. Venezian 1, Milano, 20133, Italy

    Andrea Ferrari

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Olson, T.A., Schneider, D.T., Brecht, I.B., Ferrari, A. (2012). Rare Tumors: A Different Perspective on Oncology. In: Schneider, D., Brecht, I., Olson, T., Ferrari, A. (eds) Rare Tumors In Children and Adolescents. Pediatric Oncology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04197-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04197-6_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-04196-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-04197-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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