Cancer of children in Basrah-Iraq: Person and time characteristics

Abstract

Background: Cancer in children though less frequent as compared to cancer in older people, evidence accumulated across the World indicates an increasing risk during the last decades. In Iraq in general and in the south of the country in particular, claims and counter claims are propagated every now and then on the childhood cancer and the proposition that environmental factors are playing a role in the increased risk (if any) is controversial. Methods: In this study data were compiled on new cancer cases diagnosed in all health care institutions in Basrah among children aged less than 15 years over an eight-year period (2004-2011). Cases were obtained mainly from the population of Basrah governorate but many cases were also visiting from neighbouring governorates. The latter were excluded from the present analysis. Results: The average annual incidence rate of all childhood cancers was 11.23 per 100000 children. Three groups of cancers occupied the top list. These are leukaemias accounting for 31.1% or 3.56 per 100000 children, lymphomas accounting for 19.6% or 2.20 per 100000 children and brain tumours accounting for 9.7% or 1.09 per 100000 children. A modest rise in the incidence rate was observed over the years 2004-2011. Conclusions: The evidence for increasing risk with time is not strong. Cancer of children, however, is a significant health problem and requires intensive health care to deal with. Multidisciplinary team research work is essential and comprehensive team approach to care is mandatory.

Leukemia Morbidity and Mortality among Children Admitted to Hiwa Hospital from January 2015 to January 2022: A Retrospective Study

“…Regarding the growth rate of pediatric leukemia in Iraq the incidence was found to be 31.1% or 3.56 per 100000 children in Basrah [10] and another study in Sulaimani revealed a greater occurrence of leukemia in males (4.1%) than females (3.6%), especially in teenagers aged <15 years with elevated annual incidence rate (3.4%). The latter group also found that ALL is the most common type of leukemia, with 44% in all cases, followed by chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) (20% of all leukemia incidences), chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL: 18%), and then AML (17%) [11].…”

The Epidemiology of Pediatric Cancer in the Palliative Care Unit at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya

“…These results are in line with studies conducted in other countries, for example, research in the USA shows that pediatric cancer incidence and mortality is lower in females compared to males, while survival rates are similar for both sexes (American Cancer Society, 2014). The results of research in the State of Iran also showed that the prevalence of cancer incidence was higher in boys (Habib et al, 2016). The incidence of cancer in boys in India is higher than in girls.…”