Descriptive epidemiology of childhood cancer in Cali, Colombia 1977-2011

Abstract

Introduction: Yearly more than 160,000 childhood cancer cases are diagnosed worldwide and around 90,000 die because of this disease. In Colombia, this represents the 2nd leading cause of childhood deaths for those more than one year old. Objective: To describe the occurrence and survival patterns of childhood cancer patients over the last 20 years in Cali. Methods:Information was obtained from the Cancer Population Registry in Cali and the Municipal Department of Health. The International Classification for childhood Cancer (ICCC) was used. Vital status data was obtained from MDH death certificates and hospital databases. Additionally, clinical records were reviewed and, in some cases, telephone contact was made to gather data. Follow-up was completed until December 31, 2011. Incident (IR) and mortality rates (MR) were estimated and adjusted for age. Life-tables were made to estimate overall survival. Results: Between 1977-2011 there were 2,311 cases of cancer identified in children less than 15 years of age. The IR and MR for Cali were found to be 141.2 and 55.6 per million of people per year. Leukemias, lymphomas, Central nervous system (CNS) tumors and soft tissue sarcomas showed IR´s of 60.1, 20.5, 25.7 and 9.4, respectively. 5-years OS was 48%, and showed an improvement from 24.9%±4.3 to 51.8%±4.6, compared 1992-96 vs 2002-06 periods. Conclusion: The IR found is comparable with those from affluent countries. Taking into account that pediatric cancer is curable in about 75-80% of the cases, an enormous challenge is presented to the Colombian health system: to improve current clinical results.

A spatial analysis of childhood cancer and industrial air pollution in a metropolitan area of Colombia

“…The cumulative SASR 2000-2015 in the BMA was 1.5 times higher than the world rate reported by the World Cancer Report in 2014 that was 100 CC cases per million [31]. However, the cumulative SASR in the BMA was similar to the cumulative incidence rate of CC reported by the Population-based Cancer Registry of Cali during 2002-2011 [32]. The cancer registry of Cali is the oldest in Latin America and has international recognition for its high quality methods and data [33][34], therefore, the similarities in the incidence of CC and the frequency of presentation of the different types represent not only the quality and maturity of the RPC-AMB but also the consistency of having higher CC rates in different cities in Colombia.…”

Caregivers' Self-Reported Absence of Social Support Networks is Related to Treatment Abandonment in Children With Cancer

“…In Cali, the childhood cancer overall incidence rate is 141 cases per million children year. [29] The presentation of these children to the PUH has been decreasing over time, from 50% to 24% (2009-2014). During the study period (2011-2013), this represented 35% of all pediatric oncology patients treated in the city.…”

Carcinógenos ambientales asociados a cáncer infantil

“…Se estima que anualmente se diagnostican 163.300 casos de cáncer infantil en el mundo y en promedio uno de cada 408 niños menores de 15 años y uno de cada 285 niños entre los 15 y 20 años terminan en decesos, es decir 80.000 defunciones al año (3) . En América Latina y el Caribe, 17.500 nuevos casos son diagnosticados cada año y más de 8.000 muertes se registran por esta enfermedad (4) .…”

“…En Colombia, fueron reportadas 300 muertes por esta causa en menores de edad durante 2015 (5) . Los registros poblacionales de cáncer y los datos de mortalidad de la Secretaría de Salud Pública de Cali, registraron 2.311 casos entre 1977 y 2011, de los cuales el 54,5% fueron en hombres y el 40,2% en menores de cinco años (4) .…”