Childhood Cancer in Brazil: Characterising from a 15-year Temporal Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood cancer has a high incidence worldwide. Knowing how this disease presents itself in childhood is important for a correct diagnosis. Aim: This study aimed at characterising childhood cancer in Brazil, indicating the histological type of cancer and the most prevalent tumour site for this age group, in a 15 years temporal analysis. Materials and Methods: This was an epidemiological, ecological, sectional, and descriptive study with a quantitative data approach. The data from the Hospital Records of Cancer (HRC), between the years of 2000 and 2014, were evaluated. A total of 57,006 cases of childhood cancer, from 0 to 19-year-old, were evaluated. The variables selected were: age, gender, previous history of cancer, most relevant base for diagnosis, primary tumour site and histological type of cancer. The descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS software (20.0), using Chi-Square test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov to test the data’s normal distribution, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Mann-Whitney Test (Significance level of 5%). Results: The childhood cancer cases had a higher prevalence among males (54.1%). The most frequent histological types of cancer were Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (12.6%) and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (4.6%). The predominant site was the bone marrow (28.0%), followed by lymph nodes (10.8%). The distribution of mean age varied between the histological types and location of childhood tumours (p<0.001). The Retinoblastoma and the Willm’s tumour were more frequently observed in early childhood patients, mean age of 1.90 (±1.94) and 3.69 (±3.18), respectively. The Hodgkin Lymphoma and Osteosarcoma were more frequently detected in patients with mean age of 13.43 (± 4.48) and 13.65 (±3.60), respectively. Conclusion: During the years of 2000 to 2014 in Brazil, childhood cancer has mainly affected males, with a mean age of 9.48; for females, the most prevalent age was 9.39. The most prevalent types of neoplasms were Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. There were differences in the mean age of the different types of tumour and tumour sites approached.

Keywords

• child
• child health
• database
• medical oncology
• neoplasms
• paediatrics