Paola Bertuccio1, Gianfranco Alicandro2, Matteo Malvezzi3, Greta Carioli3, Paolo Boffetta4, Fabio Levi5, Carlo La Vecchia3, Eva Negri6. 1. Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: paola.bertuccio@unimi.it. 2. Directorate for Social Statistics and Welfare, National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), Rome, Italy. 3. Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. 4. Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 5. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Unisanté, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. 6. Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Abstract
AIM: To monitor trends in childhood cancer mortality in Europe. METHODS: We calculated age-standardized mortality rates per 100,000 children (age 0-14 years) from 1990 to the last available calendar year, for all neoplasms and six main cancers in childhood, in selected European countries and geographic areas, plus the European Union (EU), using data from the World Health Organization database. We carried out a joinpoint regression analysis of mortality trends for all neoplasms, leukaemia and tumours of the nervous system. Results of the joinpoint regression were summarized through annual percent change (APC) for each identified linear segment, and weighted average APC (AAPC) over the whole period. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2015, childhood total cancer mortality rates dropped by 2.8% per year in the EU, to reach 2.6/100,000 in the latest available calendar years. The greatest declines were in central-eastern countries (AAPCs -3% to -4%). Recent rates ranged between 1.7 and 4.3 deaths/100,000, with the highest values in central-eastern Europe. Leukaemia mortality rates in the EU decreased from 1.6 to 0.6/100,000 in the latest calendar years (AAPC -4%). The deepest declines were registered in central-eastern countries, though they still showed the highest rates (0.9). The lowest leukaemia mortality rates were in northern-western Europe (0.5/100,000), but also in the Czech Republic and Poland. Southern European countries showed comparatively high rates (0.8). Nervous system tumours showed relatively modest falls (AAPC: -1.7% in the EU). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood cancer mortality continued to decline steady in Europe, though geographic differences persist. Further efforts are required to fill the gap, by promoting widespread and rational adoption of currently available treatment protocols.
AIM: To monitor trends in childhood cancer mortality in Europe. METHODS: We calculated age-standardized mortality rates per 100,000 children (age 0-14 years) from 1990 to the last available calendar year, for all neoplasms and six main cancers in childhood, in selected European countries and geographic areas, plus the European Union (EU), using data from the World Health Organization database. We carried out a joinpoint regression analysis of mortality trends for all neoplasms, leukaemia and tumours of the nervous system. Results of the joinpoint regression were summarized through annual percent change (APC) for each identified linear segment, and weighted average APC (AAPC) over the whole period. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2015, childhood total cancer mortality rates dropped by 2.8% per year in the EU, to reach 2.6/100,000 in the latest available calendar years. The greatest declines were in central-eastern countries (AAPCs -3% to -4%). Recent rates ranged between 1.7 and 4.3 deaths/100,000, with the highest values in central-eastern Europe. Leukaemiamortality rates in the EU decreased from 1.6 to 0.6/100,000 in the latest calendar years (AAPC -4%). The deepest declines were registered in central-eastern countries, though they still showed the highest rates (0.9). The lowest leukaemiamortality rates were in northern-western Europe (0.5/100,000), but also in the Czech Republic and Poland. Southern European countries showed comparatively high rates (0.8). Nervous system tumours showed relatively modest falls (AAPC: -1.7% in the EU). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood cancer mortality continued to decline steady in Europe, though geographic differences persist. Further efforts are required to fill the gap, by promoting widespread and rational adoption of currently available treatment protocols.
Authors: Anne Sophie Lind Helligsoe; Line Kenborg; Louise Tram Henriksen; Aparna Udupi; Henrik Hasle; Jeanette Falck Winther Journal: Cancer Med Date: 2021-11-19 Impact factor: 4.452
Authors: Matteo Malvezzi; Claudia Santucci; Gianfranco Alicandro; Greta Carioli; Paolo Boffetta; Karina Braga Ribeiro; Fabio Levi; Carlo La Vecchia; Eva Negri; Paola Bertuccio Journal: Cancer Date: 2021-05-27 Impact factor: 6.860