Global trends and inequities in childhood cancer burden from 1990 to 2021, with projections to 2040: a Global Burden of Disease study

Despite global improvements, profound inequities in childhood cancer burden persist, driven by under-diagnosis and limited access to care in low-SDI settings. Achieving the WHO target of ≥60% survival by 2030 will require urgent investments in diagnostic capacity, treatment access, workforce training, and integration of childhood cancer into universal health coverage. Failure to act risks leaving the world's poorest children behind.