Pediatric cancer mortality: Analyzing early deaths and fatalities in a resource-limited tertiary care context.

Abstract

IntroductionChildren with suspected cancer may succumb to their bad condition shortly after admission, even before a definitive diagnosis can be reached. We aimed to address the issue of delayed presentation and early deaths among children suspected of having cancer. We analyzed also the types and causes of mortalities across different tumor types.Materials and methodsA retrospective review of reports from newly admitted patients between 2006 and 2010 at the pediatric oncology department of the South Egypt Cancer Institute (SECI) was done. Parameters included age, gender, diagnosis, symptoms, the interval between initial symptoms and the first visit to SECI, the duration from admission to death, and the cause of death.ResultsAmong the 502 patients with confirmed malignancies, 238 (47.4%) succumbed. Causes of death were predominantly treatment-related mortalities (TRM) (66%). Mortalities within hematological malignancies were mainly TRM (81%), whereas solid tumors were primarily disease-related (70%), p ConclusionsDelayed presentation leading to early deaths poses a significant obstacle to the successful treatment of childhood cancers. Early diagnosis and improved supportive care are essential to enhancing the overall survival, particularly in patients with hematologigical malignancies.