Children and teenagers develop different kinds of tumors than adults do. Most childhood tumors grow from tissue that is still developing, which is why the names on a pathology report are often unfamiliar. When a growth is removed, or a sample is taken, a pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope and describes the findings in a pathology report.
This page brings together our guides to tumors and growths found in children and adolescents. The articles are grouped by where in the body the tumor was found, to help you find the one that matches your child’s diagnosis. Select any article below to learn more.
Start here
Read this first if your child has recently been diagnosed and you are working through the pathology report.
Understanding a childhood cancer pathology report
An introduction for parents and caregivers. It explains how a childhood cancer pathology report is put together, what each section describes, and why it differs from an adult report.
Start here if your child has just been diagnosed, or if you have a pathology report in front of you and aren’t sure where to begin.
Brain and spinal cord tumors
These tumors start in the brain or spinal cord. The articles explain how each type is diagnosed and what the details in your child’s pathology report mean.
Medulloblastoma is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children and starts in the cerebellum at the back of the brain. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what the molecular group in the report means.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions medulloblastoma, a molecular group such as WNT-activated or SHH-activated, or the posterior fossa.
Pilocytic astrocytoma is a slow-growing tumor and the most common brain tumor of childhood. This article explains what a pathologist looks for and why this tumor is described as low grade.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions pilocytic astrocytoma, WHO grade 1, or a BRAF fusion.
Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27-altered
This fast-growing tumor starts in the middle parts of the brain or spinal cord and is found mainly in children. This article explains the genetic change that defines the diagnosis.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27, or a tumor in the brainstem or pons, sometimes called DIPG.
Ependymoma grows from the cells that line the fluid-filled spaces of the brain. This article covers ependymoma in the posterior fossa, the lower back part of the brain, where most childhood ependymomas are found.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions posterior fossa ependymoma, group PFA or PFB, or the fourth ventricle.
This type of ependymoma starts in the upper part of the brain. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what the genetic findings in the report mean.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions supratentorial ependymoma, a ZFTA fusion, or a YAP1 fusion.
This type of ependymoma starts in the spinal cord. This article explains what a pathologist looks for and what the grade in the report means.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions spinal cord ependymoma or a tumor inside the spinal canal.
Myxopapillary ependymoma is a slow-growing ependymoma that forms at the lower end of the spinal cord. This article explains how it differs from other types of ependymoma.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions myxopapillary ependymoma, the conus medullaris, or the cauda equina.
Kidney and abdominal tumors
These tumors are found in the kidney, the adrenal gland, and other organs in the abdomen. The articles explain how each type is diagnosed and what the report findings mean.
Wilms tumor is the most common kidney cancer in children. This article explains how it is diagnosed, what the histology in the report means, and why the pathologist looks for anaplasia.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions nephroblastoma, Wilms tumor, favorable histology, or anaplasia.
Neuroblastoma grows from developing nerve cells and most often occurs in the adrenal gland or along the spine. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what tests, such as MYCN, are used.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions neuroblastoma, MYCN amplification, or a tumor of the adrenal gland.
Ganglioneuroma is a noncancerous tumor made of mature nerve cells, and it belongs to the same family of tumors as neuroblastoma. This article explains how a pathologist tells them apart.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions ganglioneuroma, or mature nerve tissue in a tumor near the spine or adrenal gland.
Pancreatoblastoma is an uncommon cancer of the pancreas found mainly in young children. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what the report details mean.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions pancreatoblastoma or squamoid nests in a tumor of the pancreas.
Bone and muscle tumors
These tumors start in bone, muscle, or the soft tissues that support them. The articles explain how each type is diagnosed and what the report details mean.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue cancer in children and grows from cells that would normally form skeletal muscle. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions rhabdomyosarcoma, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
This is the most common type of rhabdomyosarcoma in young children. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what separates it from the other types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma or botryoid features.
This type of rhabdomyosarcoma is defined by a fusion gene and is seen more often in older children and teenagers. This article explains what the fusion result in the report means.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, PAX3-FOXO1, or PAX7-FOXO1.
Spindle cell and sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma
This uncommon type of rhabdomyosarcoma is made of long, thin cells set in dense tissue. This article explains how doctors diagnose it and what the genetic findings mean.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma, sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma, or a MYOD1 mutation.
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in children and teenagers, and it usually starts near the knee or the shoulder. This article provides an overview of diagnosis and types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions osteosarcoma, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
This type of osteosarcoma affects both cartilage and bone. This article explains how it is diagnosed and how it compares with the other types of osteosarcoma.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions chondroblastic osteosarcoma or cartilage within a bone tumor.
Ewing sarcoma is a bone or soft tissue cancer found mainly in children and young adults. This article explains the gene fusion used to confirm the diagnosis.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions Ewing sarcoma, EWSR1, FLI1, or a small round blue cell tumor.
Synovial sarcoma is a soft tissue cancer that often develops near a joint in teenagers and young adults. This article explains how doctors diagnose it and what the fusion test shows.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions synovial sarcoma, SS18, or SYT-SSX.
Blood cancers and lymphomas
These cancers start in blood cells, bone marrow, or lymph nodes. The articles explain how each type is diagnosed and what the tests described in the report mean.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common cancer in children and starts in immature white blood cells in the bone marrow. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), or if you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
This is the most common form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, and it starts in immature B cells. This article explains the genetic tests used to describe it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions B-lymphoblastic leukemia, B-ALL, ETV6-RUNX1, or hyperdiploidy.
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
This form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia starts in immature T cells and is more common in older children and teenagers. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, T-ALL, or a chest mass.
Lymphoblastic lymphoma is made of the same immature cells as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but it is found mainly in lymph nodes rather than bone marrow. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions lymphoblastic lymphoma, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
This type of lymphoblastic lymphoma is made of immature B cells and often involves the skin, bone, or lymph nodes. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions B-lymphoblastic lymphoma, B-LBL, or TdT-positive cells in a lymph node or skin biopsy.
This type of lymphoblastic lymphoma is made of immature T cells and often starts as a mass in the chest. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions T-lymphoblastic lymphoma, T-LBL, or a mediastinal mass.
Acute myeloid leukemia starts in immature blood-forming cells in the bone marrow and accounts for about one in five childhood leukemias. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions acute myeloid leukemia, AML, or blasts in the bone marrow.
Burkitt lymphoma is a fast-growing B-cell lymphoma and one of the more common lymphomas in children. This article explains the MYC test used to confirm the diagnosis.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions Burkitt lymphoma, a MYC rearrangement, or a starry sky pattern.
Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in teenagers and usually starts in lymph nodes in the neck or the chest. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions Hodgkin lymphoma, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
This is the most common type of Hodgkin lymphoma. This article explains the Reed-Sternberg cells and the stains a pathologist uses to make the diagnosis.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions classic Hodgkin lymphoma, Reed-Sternberg cells, CD30, or nodular sclerosis.
Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma
This uncommon type of Hodgkin lymphoma grows slowly and looks different under the microscope from the classic type. This article explains how a pathologist tells them apart.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, NLPHL, popcorn cells, or LP cells.
ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma
This T-cell lymphoma is the most common form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma in children. This article explains what the ALK result in the report means.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions anaplastic large cell lymphoma, an ALK positive result, or CD30.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis is an uncommon condition in which a type of immune cell builds up in bone, skin, or other organs. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions Langerhans cell histiocytosis, LCH, CD1a, or a BRAF V600E mutation.
Germ cell and gonadal tumors
These tumors start in the ovary or the testicle, or in germ cells that have settled elsewhere in the body. The articles explain how each type is diagnosed and what the report describes.
Yolk sac tumor of the testicle
Yolk sac tumor is the most common testicular germ cell tumor in young boys. This article explains how it is diagnosed and why doctors follow AFP levels after surgery.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a yolk sac tumor, an endodermal sinus tumor, or a raised AFP.
Immature teratoma of the ovary
An immature teratoma contains tissue that has not fully developed, and doctors grade it by how much of that tissue is present. This article explains what the grade means.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions an immature teratoma, grade 1, 2, or 3, or immature neural tissue.
A mature cystic teratoma is a noncancerous ovarian growth that can contain hair, skin, and other everyday tissue. This article explains what a pathologist looks for.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a mature cystic teratoma or a dermoid cyst.
A mixed germ cell tumor contains more than one type of germ cell tumor. This article explains why the report lists each type with a percentage.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report lists percentages of yolk sac tumor, embryonal carcinoma, or teratoma within one tumor.
Juvenile-type granulosa cell tumor
This ovarian tumor grows from the supporting cells around the eggs and is found mainly in children and young women. This article explains how it is diagnosed.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a juvenile granulosa cell tumor, or your child was seen for early puberty or a raised inhibin level.
Noncancerous growths
These growths are not cancer and do not spread to other parts of the body. The articles explain what each one is and what the report findings mean.
A hemangioma is a growth made of small blood vessels and is the most common tumor of infancy. This article explains what a pathologist looks for.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a hemangioma, an infantile hemangioma, or a removed birthmark.
A congenital nevus is a mole that is present at birth or appears in the first months of life. This article explains what the report describes and how these moles are followed.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a congenital nevus or a congenital melanocytic nevus.
A Spitz nevus is a noncancerous mole seen most often in children and teenagers. This article explains why it can be difficult to tell apart from melanoma under the microscope.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a Spitz nevus, spitzoid cells, or an atypical Spitz tumor.
Fibromatosis is a group of growths made of fibrous tissue that can grow into nearby tissue but do not spread elsewhere in the body. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis and its types.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions fibromatosis or a desmoid tumor, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
A thyroglossal duct cyst is a fluid-filled lump in the front of the neck. It forms from tissue left behind as the thyroid gland develops before birth.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a thyroglossal duct cyst, or a lump in the middle of the neck that moves when swallowing.
A branchial cleft cyst is a fluid-filled lump on the side of the neck that forms from tissue left over from early development. This article explains what the report describes.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions a branchial cleft cyst or a lump on the side of the neck.
An osteochondroma is a bony growth with a cartilage cap and is the most common bone tumor in children. This article explains what a pathologist looks for.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions an osteochondroma, an exostosis, or a cartilage cap.
An osteoid osteoma is a small bone tumor that often causes pain at night. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions an osteoid osteoma or a nidus within a bone.
An osteoblastoma is a bone tumor that is larger than an osteoid osteoma and often involves the spine. This article explains how a pathologist distinguishes the two.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions an osteoblastoma or a bone tumor in the spine.
An aneurysmal bone cyst is a blood-filled growth in bone found mostly in children and teenagers. This article explains how doctors diagnose it.
You may find this helpful if your child’s report mentions an aneurysmal bone cyst, ABC, or a USP6 rearrangement.
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