Abstract
ABSTRACT
While survival rates for childhood cancers are excellent it is known that these patients have an increased risk of death from disease recurrence and other causes. We investigate patterns, trends and survival of cancers in children and young adults in N. Ireland.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
20 years (1993-2013) of cancer incidence data including non-malignant brain tumours from the N. Ireland Cancer Registry for persons age 0-24 years was analysed using joinpoint for trend and Kaplan Meier method for survival analysis up to end 2013 with excess mortality calculated at one and five years after first cancer diagnosis using standardised mortality ratios.
RESULTS
2633 children and young people were diagnosed with cancer, 1386 (52%) male and 1247 female with 1140 (43.3%) aged 0-14. 59 patients (2.2%) had a record of a second cancer. While trends were increased over time they did not reach statistical significance except in the 15-24 age group for males and females combined. The most common cancers for age 0-14 were brain, eye and CNS and leukaemia with skin the most common in 15-24 age group. Survival was high 90.7% at 1 year, better among females and similar for older and younger groups. Although mortality in children is low overall, excluding the primary cancer there was an excess mortality from all causes with deaths twice that of the background level in those aged 0-14 at diagnosis and three times background levels in those aged 15-24 age group.
CONCLUSION
While survival from childhood cancers is excellent this work in common with larger studies highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of cancer survivors. Preventable skin cancer was identified as a problem.
While survival rates for childhood cancers are excellent it is known that these patients have an increased risk of death from disease recurrence and other causes. We investigate patterns, trends and survival of cancers in children and young adults in N. Ireland.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
20 years (1993-2013) of cancer incidence data including non-malignant brain tumours from the N. Ireland Cancer Registry for persons age 0-24 years was analysed using joinpoint for trend and Kaplan Meier method for survival analysis up to end 2013 with excess mortality calculated at one and five years after first cancer diagnosis using standardised mortality ratios.
RESULTS
2633 children and young people were diagnosed with cancer, 1386 (52%) male and 1247 female with 1140 (43.3%) aged 0-14. 59 patients (2.2%) had a record of a second cancer. While trends were increased over time they did not reach statistical significance except in the 15-24 age group for males and females combined. The most common cancers for age 0-14 were brain, eye and CNS and leukaemia with skin the most common in 15-24 age group. Survival was high 90.7% at 1 year, better among females and similar for older and younger groups. Although mortality in children is low overall, excluding the primary cancer there was an excess mortality from all causes with deaths twice that of the background level in those aged 0-14 at diagnosis and three times background levels in those aged 15-24 age group.
CONCLUSION
While survival from childhood cancers is excellent this work in common with larger studies highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of cancer survivors. Preventable skin cancer was identified as a problem.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 158-164 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Publication status | Published - 01 Sept 2016 |
Keywords
- childhood cancer survival
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine
