Population-based survival of children in New Zealand diagnosed with cancer during 1990-1993

Population-based survival for childhood cancer patients diagnosed during 2002-2005 in Shanghai, China

BACKGROUND

There have been no population-based studies on cancer survival among children aged 0-14 years in China. In this study, we aimed to characterize the cancer survival among children in Shanghai.

PROCEDURE

Childhood cancer cases registered by the Shanghai Cancer Registry between 2002 and 2005 and enrolled in the Shanghai Childhood Survival Study were included in this study. We used Kaplan-Meier product-limit method for survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models for investigating the effects of various prognostic factors.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 5.4 years (range 0-8.9 years). The 5-year observed survival for all childhood cancers combined was 55.7% (95% CI: 51.7-59.6%). For leukemia, lymphoma, and central nervous system tumors, the three most common types of childhood cancer, 5-year survival rates were 52.2%, 58.8%, and 41.2%, respectively. Higher 5-year survival rates were observed for epithelial cancer (88.9%), malignant renal tumors (86.7%), germ cell and other gonadal tumors (78.4%), and retinoblastoma (75.0%). Cancers with poor prognosis included sympathetic nervous system tumors (57.9%), soft tissue sarcoma (54.1%), bone tumors (52.6%), and liver cancer (33.3%). There were no significant differences between survival rates by gender and age groups. Compared with those reported in the USA and Europe, the survival rates for all cancers combined and the three most common types in Shanghai were lower.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival rate for children aged 0-14 diagnosed with cancer in Shanghai during 2002-2005 was at the medium level. There was a substantial survival difference from childhood cancers between Shanghai and specific developed countries.

Childhood cancer survival: a report from the United Kingdom Childhood Cancer Study

BACKGROUND

Improvements in diagnostic approaches and refinements to treatment protocols have resulted in 5-year survival levels above 70% for children diagnosed with cancer in economically developed parts of the world. For some cancers, including leukaemia and tumours of the central nervous system, age and sex have been identified as important prognostic indicators.

METHODS

We examined long-term survival, and affects of age and sex, in a population-based case-control study. Children (0-14 years) newly diagnosed with cancer were ascertained between 1991 and 1996 (n=4433). Follow-up information was obtained from the National Health Service (NHS) Information Centre for Health and Social Care which records all exits from the NHS including deaths.

RESULTS

For all cancer diagnoses combined, 5-year survival was 72.7% dropping to 67.9% at 15 years. As expected, survival differed between diagnostic subtypes ranging from 38.1% for intracranial embryonal tumours to 96.2% for Hodgkin lymphoma. Compared to girls, boys diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were at a higher risk of dying (RR=1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.53), whereas boys diagnosed with an intracranial embryonal tumour were at a lower risk of death (RR=0.63, 95% CI 0.43-0.91).

CONCLUSION

Our initial findings are consistent with previous reports, and highlight the importance of considering differences by age and sex. The completeness and population-based nature of the original case-control study is an important feature which will provide the basis for future more detailed investigations linking disease determinants to outcome.

Up-to-date monitoring of childhood cancer long-term survival in Europe: central nervous system tumours

BACKGROUND

Tumours of the central nervous system (CNS) account for 15-20% of all malignant childhood tumours in developed countries. Steady improvement of survival of children with CNS tumours has been reported for the past decades. However, these results, obtained by cohort analysis of survival, do not reflect the full extent of recent improvement.

METHODS

Using selected registries from the database of the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS), we calculated period survival estimates for the years 1995-99 for children diagnosed with a malignant CNS tumour.

RESULTS

The overall 10-year period survival estimate for the years 1995-99 was 59% for children with all CNS tumours combined, 73% for children with astrocytoma, 53% for children with ependymoma and 45% for children with primitive neuroectodermal tumours. On average, estimates derived by cohort analysis (pertaining to children diagnosed in 1985-89) were around 4% units lower. Region-specific analysis revealed that recent progress was largest in Eastern Europe, where prognosis nevertheless remained lower than in other European regions. In Northern and Southern Europe, 10-year survival remained essentially unchanged.

CONCLUSION

Although period survival of children with CNS tumours is higher than previously reported cohort survival, their long-term prognosis remains modest compared to other childhood malignancies.

Up-to-date monitoring of childhood cancer long-term survival in Europe: tumours of the sympathetic nervous system, retinoblastoma, renal and bone tumours, and soft tissue sarcomas

BACKGROUND

Prognosis for most types of childhood tumours has improved during the last few decades. In this article we estimate up-to-date period survival for less common, but important childhood malignancies in Europe.

METHODS

Using the database of the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System we calculated period estimates of 10-year survival for the 1995-1999 period for children aged 0-14 years diagnosed during 1985-1999 with tumours of the sympathetic nervous system (NS), retinoblastoma, renal tumours, bone tumours and soft tissue sarcomas in four European regions.

RESULTS

Ten-year period survival for 1995-1999 was 66% in children with tumours of the sympathetic NS, 96% for retinoblastoma, 87% for renal tumours, 58% for bone tumours and 61% for soft tissue sarcomas. The higher period estimates, as compared with cohort and complete estimates indicate recent improvement in survival for tumours of the sympathetic NS and to a lesser extent for retinoblastoma and renal tumours. Region-specific period survival estimates were lowest for Eastern Europe for renal, bone and soft tissue tumours, but not for the other two tumour groups.

CONCLUSION

There have been further improvements in the 1990s in long-term survival of children diagnosed with several malignancies, albeit to a different extent in different European regions.

Risk of Second Malignant Neoplasms After Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma: An International Study

BACKGROUND

Survivors of childhood leukemia and lymphoma experience high risks of second malignant neoplasms. We quantified such risk using a large dataset from 13 population-based cancer registries.

METHODS

The registries provided individual data on cases of leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma occurring in children aged 0-14 years and on subsequent second malignant neoplasms for different time periods from 1943 to 2000. Risks of second malignant neoplasms were assessed through standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using the incidence rates in the general populations covered by the registries as a reference. Cumulative absolute risks were also calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 133 second malignant neoplasms were observed in 16,540 patients (12,731 leukemias, 1246 Hodgkin lymphomas, and 2563 non-Hodgkin lymphomas) after an average follow-up of 6.5 years. The most frequent second malignancies after leukemia were brain cancer (19 cases, SIR = 8.52, 95% CI = 5.13 to 13.3), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (nine cases, SIR = 9.41, 95% CI = 4.30 to 17.9), and thyroid cancer (nine cases, SIR = 18.8, 95% CI = 8.60 to 35.7); the most frequent after Hodgkin lymphoma were thyroid cancer (nine cases, SIR = 52.5, 95% CI = 24.0 to 99.6), breast cancer (six cases, SIR = 20.9, 95% CI = 7.66 to 45.4), and neoplasms of skin (non-melanoma) (six cases, SIR = 34.0, 95% CI = 12.5 to 74.0); and the most frequent after non-Hodgkin lymphoma were thyroid cancer (six cases, SIR = 40.4, 95% CI = 14.8 to 88.0) and brain cancer (four cases, SIR = 6.97, 95% CI = 1.90 to 17.9). Cumulative incidence of any second malignant neoplasm was 2.43% (95% CI = 1.09 to 3.78), 12.7% (95% CI = 8.29 to 17.2), and 2.50% (95% CI = 1.04 to 3.96) within 30 years from diagnosis of leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This population-based study provides, to our knowledge, the most precise and up-to-date estimates for relative and absolute risks of second malignant neoplasms after childhood leukemia and lymphoma.

Survival by ethnicity for children diagnosed with cancer in New Zealand during 1990-1993

AIM

This study aimed to assess survival by ethnicity for all New Zealand children (0-14 years) diagnosed with cancer during 1990-1993 and second, to determine the accuracy of the children's routinely collected ethnicity information.

METHODS

Four hundred and nine children were followed up using two largely independent sources. We compared survival using the Cox model.

RESULTS

Maori and Pacific Island children had the same survival as non-Maori/non-Pacific children for 'all cancers combined' (hazard ratios (HR): 0.98; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64-1.50 and 1.01; 95% CI: 0.53-1.89 respectively) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.45-2.62 and 0.99; 95% CI: 0.24-4.16, respectively). The ethnicity data stored within the National Health Index and the New Zealand Cancer Registry showed reasonably close agreement with ethnicity data provided by the children's mothers at interview (Kappa statistics: 0.82 and 0.81 respectively) while the Mortality Collection showed only moderate agreement (Kappa statistic: 0.63).

CONCLUSION

The point estimates in this study provide no evidence of ethnic disparities in survival from childhood cancer in New Zealand. However, even in this national study there were small numbers of Maori and Pacific children leading to wide confidence intervals. We therefore recommend cautious interpretation.

Updating long-term childhood cancer survival trend with period and mixed analysis: Good news from population-based estimates in Italy

An empirical evaluation of long-term period survival analysis was performed using data from the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont, Italy. The aim was to update survival time trends and provide 25-year projections for children currently diagnosed with cancer. The observed survival experiences up to 15 years after diagnosis of five quinquennial cohorts (cohort analysis) were compared to the corresponding estimates obtained by period analysis. The two methods generally produced very similar findings, although period analysis estimates were slightly lower than those obtained from cohort analysis. We then used mixed analysis to assess time trends in long-term survival. This showed that the probability of surviving 25 years after a cancer in childhood has more than doubled compared to cohort analysis estimates from patients diagnosed more than 25 years ago (73% vs. 32%), providing further evidence of an ongoing improvement in prognosis.

Time trends and prognostic factors for survival from childhood cancer: a report from the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont (Italy)

Survival after childhood cancer has been improving since the late 1970s in most developed countries. The Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont has been recording malignant tumors in children (0-14 years) throughout Piedmont since 1967. The present paper is based on the records of the 2,970 children diagnosed during the period 1970-2001; survival rates are estimated up to June 30, 2004. Based on records from the Registrar Offices of the relevant towns of residence, 1,698 children were reported to be alive, 1,252 deceased, and 20 were of unknown vital status. Over the period 1970-2001, 5-year survival rates for all tumor types combined showed a statistically significant increasing trend (p<0.0001). For acute lymphocytic leukemia, the survival rate increased steadily from 24.7% (95% CI 15.0-34.3) in 1970-1974 to 87.8% (82.1-93.6) in 1995-1999. Five-year survival rates for central nervous system tumors increased from 32.8% (21.0-44.6) in 1970-1974 to 80.3% (72.6-88.0) in 1990-1994 and decreased thereafter. Age of less than 1 year at time of diagnosis was a favorable prognostic factor for neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma. The extent of disease at diagnosis was related to prognosis for neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma and other selected solid tumors. A white blood cell count greater than 50,000 x 10(6) cells/l was associated with decreased survival in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia. We have found positive trends in survival for all tumor types in Piedmont, similar to those reported by other population-based cancer registries. Age, extent of disease, and white blood cell count at diagnosis are prognostic factors for selected cancer sites.