Incidence of childhood cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean: coverage, patterns, and time trends.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of geographical patterns (2001-2010) and time trends (1993-2012) of cancer incidence in children aged 0-19 years in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and interpret the findings in the context of global patterns. Methods: Geographical variations in 2001-2010 and incidence trends over 1993-2012 in the population of LAC younger than 20 years were described using the database of the third volume of the International Incidence of Childhood Cancer study containing comparable data. Age-specific incidence per million person-years (ASR) was calculated for population subgroups and age-standardized (WSR) using the world standard population. Results: Overall, 36 744 unique cases were included in this study. In 2001-2010 the overall WSR in age 0-14 years was 132.6. The most frequent were leukemia (WSR 48.7), central nervous system neoplasms (WSR 23.0), and lymphoma (WSR 16.6). The overall ASR in age group 15-19 years was 152.3 with lymphoma ranking first (ASR 30.2). Incidence was higher in males than in females, and higher in South America than in Central America and the Caribbean. Compared with global data LAC incidence was lower overall, except for leukemia and lymphoma at age 0-14 years and the other and unspecified tumors at any age. Overall incidence at age 0-19 years increased by 1.0% per year (95% CI [0.6, 1.3]) over 1993-2012. The included registries covered 16% of population aged 0-14 years and 10% of population aged 15-19 years. Conclusions: The observed patterns provide a baseline to assess the status and evolution of childhood cancer occurrence in the region. Extended and sustained support of cancer registration is required to improve representativeness and timeliness of data for childhood cancer control in LAC.

Financial hardship in families of children or adolescents with cancer: a systematic literature review.

Financial hardship in childhood cancer contributes to poor health outcomes and global disparities in survival, but the extent of the financial burden on families is not yet fully understood. We systematically reviewed financial hardship prevalence and individual components characterising financial hardship across six domains (medical, non-medical, and indirect costs, financial strategies, psychosocial responses, and behavioural responses) and compared characteristics across country income levels using an established theory of human needs. We included 123 studies with data spanning 47 countries. Extensive heterogeneity in study methodologies and measures resulted in incomparable prevalence estimates and limited analysis. Components characterising financial hardship spanned the six domains and showed variation across country income contexts, yet a synthesis of existing literature cannot establish whether these are true differences in characterisation or burden. Our findings emphasise a crucial need to implement a data-driven methodological framework with validated measures to inform effective policies and interventions to address financial hardship in childhood cancer.

The growing prevalence of childhood cancer survivors in Australia.

Survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk of long-term health issues arising mostly from the side effects of treatment. Using population-based data from the Australian Childhood Cancer Registry (ACCR) for children aged 0-14 at diagnosis between 1983 and 2018, there were a total of 17,468 prevalent cases of childhood cancer survivors on 31 December 2018. We also found an 80% increase in the number of 5-year prevalent cases, from 1979 in 1988 to 3566 in 2018. Both short- and long-term prevalence estimates are important for monitoring childhood cancer survivorship and planning for the specific needs of this expanding cohort.

The feasibility of implementing Toronto childhood cancer stage guidelines and estimating the impact on outcome for childhood cancers in seven pediatric oncology units in sub-Saharan Africa. A study from the Franco-African Pediatric Oncology Group.

BACKGROUND: The improvement of childhood cancer outcome is determined by early diagnosis, effective treatment, supportive care, and adequate medical follow-up. Stage at diagnosis may reflect timeliness of diagnosis, therefore standardized registration of stage is essential for interpretation of regional differences and time trends in survival. Here, we describe the feasibility of implementing the Toronto Childhood Cancer Stage Guidelines (hereafter Toronto Guidelines [TG]) in the hospital-based cancer registry of the Franco-African Pediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP), and assess the impact of TG stage on outcome in pediatric oncology units (POUs) in seven low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: All cancer patients diagnosed before 15 years of age with one of the 15 cancer types defined in TG, resident in one of the participating countries, and attending one of the selected POUs in 2017-2019 were included. Stage was assigned according to TG. Patients were followed-up for vital status for at least 12 months post diagnosis. Survival at 3, 6, and 12 months was calculated using Kaplan-Meier method and compared between POUs and tumor groups using log-rank test. RESULTS: TG stage was assigned to 1772 of 2446 (89%) cases diagnosed with one of 11 cancer types. It was not possible to assign TG stage to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the three types of the central nervous system tumors included in the TG. One-year overall survival (OS) was 58% [95% confidence interval: 55-60] and varied between POUs. Survival declined with increasing stage for four tumor types and was statistically significant for two. CONCLUSION: Except for ALL and brain tumors, we demonstrated feasibility of TG implementation for childhood solid cancers in participating POUs in SSA, and provided a baseline assessment of childhood cancer outcomes against which future stage distribution and survival can be measured as timelines of diagnosis improve over time within the GFAOP network.

Gestational age and cancer risk up to young adulthood in Swedish population born 1974 to 2013: A population-based cohort study.

We examined the association between gestational age and risk of any primary cancer and observed whether the risk patterns differed by sex, birth weight for gestational age categories, cancer site and age of onset. All people live-born in Sweden 1974 to 2013 were prospectively followed up from birth until 2016 using national registers. Gestational age was extracted from the Medical Birth Register and primary malignant cancer diagnoses were from the Swedish cancer register. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for any primary cancer according to weekly gestational age and gestational age categories were determined using cox proportional hazards models adjusted for birth year and parental age. The study included 3 137 691 people; 180 363 (5.8%) born preterm and 254 790 (8.1%) born postterm. They were followed up for 71 691 112 person-years, to a maximum of 43 years and recorded 22 604 new cancers. Although aHRs for the predefined GA categories were only increased for moderate to late preterm delivery (aHR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.14), gestational week-specific aHRs were increased for gestational weeks 30 to 35, with greatest aHR observed for 31 weeks (aHR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.32). Increased cancer risk related to shorter gestational ages were observed particularly for women, those born small for gestational age, childhood cancers and for cancers originating at certain sites (eg, testicular and liver cancer). We provide the first evidence that those born between 30 and 35 weeks gestation may have increased risk of any primary malignant cancer up to young adulthood. Additionally, increasing gestational ages may reduce the risk of testicular and liver cancer.

Global patterns of Hodgkin lymphoma incidence and mortality in 2020 and a prediction of the future burden in 2040.

Our study examines global patterns of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in 2020 and predicts the future incidence and mortality burden in 2040 using IARC's GLOBOCAN estimates of the number of new cases and deaths of HL in 185 countries. A total of 83 000 new cases of HL and 23 000 deaths from HL were estimated in 2020. In general, incidence and mortality rates were consistently higher in males (50% more cases and deaths than females) across world regions and countries. Incidence rates varied markedly by world region, at least 10-fold in both sexes, with the highest incidence rates observed in Southern Europe. Mortality exhibited an inverse pattern compared to incidence, with rates elevated in Western Asia and Northern Africa. The number of HL incident cases is predicted to rise to around 107 000 cases (a 30% increase) by 2040 due to demographic changes, assuming global rates in 2020 remains unchanged. The findings provide a baseline and impetus for developing strategies that aim to reduce the burden of HL in future decades.

Global patterns of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2020.

We evaluated the global patterns of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in 2020 using the estimates of NHL incidence and mortality in 185 countries that are part of the GLOBOCAN 2020 database, developed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). As well as new cases and deaths of NHL, corresponding age-standardized (world) rates (ASR) of incidence and mortality per 100 000 person-years were derived by country and world region. In 2020, an estimated 544 000 new cases of NHL were diagnosed worldwide, and approximately 260 000 people died from the disease. Eastern Asia accounted for a quarter (24.9%) of all cases, followed by Northern America (15.1%) and South-Central Asia (9.7%). Incidence rates were higher in men than in women, with similar geographical patterns. While the incidence rates were highest in Australia and New Zealand, Northern America, Northern Europe and Western Europe (>10/100 000 for both sexes combined), the highest mortality rates (>3/100 000) were found in regions in Africa, Western Asia and Oceania. The large variations and the disproportionately higher mortality in low- and middle-income countries can be related to the underlying prevalence and distribution of risk factors, and to the level of access to diagnostic and treatment facilities.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population-based cancer registry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions to national health systems and impacted health outcomes worldwide. However, the extent to which surveillance systems, such as population-based cancer registration, have been affected was not reported. Here we sought to evaluate the effect of the pandemic on registry operations across different areas and development levels worldwide. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on three main areas of cancer registry operations: staffing, financing and data collection. An online survey was administered to 750 member registries of the International Association for Cancer Registries. Among 212 responding registries from 90 countries, 65.6% reported a disruption in operations, ranging between 45% in south-eastern Asia and 87% in the Latin America and Caribbean. Active data collection was disrupted more than case notifications or hybrid methods. In countries categorized with low Human Development Index (HDI), a greater number of registries reported a negative impact (81.3%) than in very high HDI countries (57.8%). This contrast was highest in term of impact on financing: 9/16 (56%) registries in low HDI countries reported a current or an expected decline in funding, compared to 7/108 (7%) in very high HDI countries. With many cancer registries worldwide reporting disruption to their operations during the early COVID-19 pandemic, urgent actions are needed to ensure their continuity. Governmental commitment to support future registry operations as an asset to disease control, alongside a move toward electronic reporting systems will help to ensure the sustainability of cancer surveillance worldwide.

International variation in childhood cancer mortality rates from 2001 to 2015: Comparison of trends in the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership countries.

Despite improved survival rates, cancer remains one of the most common causes of childhood death. The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) showed variation in cancer survival for adults. We aimed to assess and compare trends over time in cancer mortality between children, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and adults in the six countries involved in the ICBP: United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Norway and Sweden. Trends in mortality between 2001 and 2015 in the six original ICBP countries were examined. Age standardised mortality rates (ASR per million) were calculated for all cancers, leukaemia, malignant and benign central nervous system (CNS) tumours, and non-CNS solid tumours. ASRs were reported for children (age 0-14 years), AYAs aged 15 to 39 years and adults aged 40 years and above. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) in mortality rates per country were estimated using Joinpoint regression. For all cancers combined, significant temporal reductions were observed in all countries and all age groups. However, the overall AAPC was greater for children (-2.9; 95% confidence interval = -4.0 to -1.7) compared to AYAs (-1.8; -2.1 to -1.5) and adults aged >40 years (-1.5; -1.6 to -1.4). This pattern was mirrored for leukaemia, CNS tumours and non-CNS solid tumours, with the difference being most pronounced for leukaemia: AAPC for children -4.6 (-6.1 to -3.1) vs AYAs -3.2 (-4.2 to -2.1) and over 40s -1.1 (-1.3 to -0.8). AAPCs varied between countries in children for all cancers except leukaemia, and in adults over 40 for all cancers combined, but not in subgroups. Improvements in cancer mortality rates in ICBP countries have been most marked among children aged 0 to 14 in comparison to 15 to 39 and over 40 year olds. This may reflect better care, including centralised service provision, treatment protocols and higher trial recruitment rates in children compared to older patients.

Impact of era of diagnosis on cause-specific late mortality among 77 423 five-year European survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer: The PanCareSurFup consortium.

Late mortality of European 5-year survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer has dropped over the last 60 years, but excess mortality persists. There is little information concerning secular trends in cause-specific mortality among older European survivors. PanCareSurFup pooled data from 12 cancer registries and clinics in 11 European countries from 77 423 five-year survivors of cancer diagnosed before age 21 between 1940 and 2008 followed for an average age of 21 years and a total of 1.27 million person-years to determine their risk of death using cumulative mortality, standardized mortality ratios (SMR), absolute excess risks (AER), and multivariable proportional hazards regression analyses. At the end of follow-up 9166 survivors (11.8%) had died compared to 927 expected (SMR 9.89, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 9.69-10.09), AER 6.47 per 1000 person-years, (95% CI 6.32-6.62). At 60 to 68 years of attained age all-cause mortality was still higher than expected (SMR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.90-3.02). Overall cumulative mortality at 25 years from diagnosis dropped from 18.4% (95% CI 16.5-20.4) to 7.3% (95% CI 6.7-8.0) over the observation period. Compared to the diagnosis period 1960 to 1969, the mortality hazard ratio declined for first neoplasms (P for trend <.0001) and for infections (P < .0001); declines in relative mortality from second neoplasms and cardiovascular causes were less pronounced (P = .1105 and P = .0829, respectively). PanCareSurFup is the largest study with the longest follow-up of late mortality among European childhood and adolescent cancer 5-year survivors, and documents significant mortality declines among European survivors into modern eras. However, continuing excess mortality highlights survivors' long-term care needs.

Development of paediatric non-stage prognosticator guidelines for population-based cancer registries and updates to the 2014 Toronto Paediatric Cancer Stage Guidelines.

Population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) generate measures of cancer incidence and survival that are essential for cancer surveillance, research, and cancer control strategies. In 2014, the Toronto Paediatric Cancer Stage Guidelines were developed to standardise how PBCRs collect data on the stage at diagnosis for childhood cancer cases. These guidelines have been implemented in multiple jurisdictions worldwide to facilitate international comparative studies of incidence and outcome. Robust stratification by risk also requires data on key non-stage prognosticators (NSPs). Key experts and stakeholders used a modified Delphi approach to establish principles guiding paediatric cancer NSP data collection. With the use of these principles, recommendations were made on which NSPs should be collected for the major malignancies in children. The 2014 Toronto Stage Guidelines were also reviewed and updated where necessary. Wide adoption of the resultant Paediatric NSP Guidelines and updated Toronto Stage Guidelines will enhance the harmonisation and use of childhood cancer data provided by PBCRs.

Sustainable care for children with cancer: a Lancet Oncology Commission.

We estimate that there will be 13·7 million new cases of childhood cancer globally between 2020 and 2050. At current levels of health system performance (including access and referral), 6·1 million (44·9%) of these children will be undiagnosed. Between 2020 and 2050, 11·1 million children will die from cancer if no additional investments are made to improve access to health-care services or childhood cancer treatment. Of this total, 9·3 million children (84·1%) will be in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. This burden could be vastly reduced with new funding to scale up cost-effective interventions. Simultaneous comprehensive scale-up of interventions could avert 6·2 million deaths in children with cancer in this period, more than half (56·1%) of the total number of deaths otherwise projected. Taking excess mortality risk into consideration, this reduction in the number of deaths is projected to produce a gain of 318 million life-years. In addition, the global lifetime productivity gains of US$2580 billion in 2020-50 would be four times greater than the cumulative treatment costs of $594 billion, producing a net benefit of $1986 billion on the global investment: a net return of $3 for every $1 invested. In sum, the burden of childhood cancer, which has been grossly underestimated in the past, can be effectively diminished to realise massive health and economic benefits and to avert millions of needless deaths.

Incidence of childhood renal tumours: An international population-based study.

Malignant renal tumours represent 5% of childhood cancers and include types with likely different aetiology: Wilms tumour (WT), rhabdoid renal tumour, kidney sarcomas and renal carcinomas. WT is the most common renal tumour in children, previously shown to vary internationally and with ethnicity. Using the comprehensive database of the International Incidence of Childhood Cancer study (IICC), we analysed global variations and time trends in incidence of renal tumour types in children (age 0-14 years) and adolescents (age 15-19 years). The results were presented by 14 world regions, and five ethnic groups in the US. We included 15 320 renal tumours in children and 800 in adolescents reported to the 163 contributing registries during 2001-2010. In children, age-standardised incidence rate (ASR) of renal tumours was 8.3 per million (95% confidence interval, CI = 8.1, 8.4); it was the highest in North America and Europe (9-10 per million) and the lowest in most Asian regions (4-5 per million). In the US, Blacks had the highest ASR (10.9 per million, 95% CI = 10.2, 11.6) and Asian and Pacific Islanders the lowest (4.4 per million, 95% CI = 3.6, 5.1). In adolescents, age-specific incidence rate of renal tumours was 1.4 per million (95% CI = 1.3, 1.5). WT accounted for over 90% of all renal tumours in each age from 1 to 7 years and the proportion of renal carcinomas increased gradually with age. From 1996 to 2010, incidence remained mostly stable for WT (average annual percent change, AAPC = 0.1) and increased for renal carcinomas in children (AAPC = 3.7) and adolescents (AAPC = 3.2). Our findings warrant further monitoring.

Childhood cancer burden: a review of global estimates.

5-year net survival of children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer is approximately 80% in many high-income countries. This estimate is encouraging as it shows the substantial progress that has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer. Unfortunately, scarce data are available for low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where nearly 90% of children with cancer reside, suggesting that global survival estimates are substantially worse in these regions. As LMICs are undergoing a rapid epidemiological transition, with a shifting burden from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases, cancer care for all ages has become a global focus. To improve outcomes for children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer worldwide, an accurate appraisal of the global burden of childhood cancer is a necessary first step. In this Review, we analyse four studies of the global cancer burden that included data for children and adolescents. Each study used various overlapping and non-overlapping statistical approaches and outcome metrics. Moreover, to provide guidance on improving future estimates of the childhood global cancer burden, we propose several recommendations to strengthen data collection and standardise analyses. Ultimately, these data could help stakeholders to develop plans for national and institutional cancer programmes, with the overall aim of helping to reduce the global burden of cancer in children and adolescents.

Global patterns and trends in the incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Despite an increasing understanding of the pathology and genetics of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), global reports on variations in the incidence of NHL remain limited in their number and scope. METHODS: To provide a situation analysis, national incidence estimates for NHL in 185 countries for the year 2018 were obtained from the GLOBOCAN database. We also used recorded incidence data from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) plus for years of diagnosis 1980-2012 to examine temporal trends. RESULTS: NHL ranked as the 5th to 9th most common cancer in most countries worldwide, with almost 510,000 new cases estimated in 2018. Observed incidence rates of NHL 2008-2012 varied markedly by world region: among males, rates were highest among Israel Jews [age-standardized (world) rate of 17.6 per 100,000), Australia (15.3), US whites (14.5), Canada (13.7), and Portugal (13.3)]. Where data were available, most populations exhibited stable or slightly increasing incidence rates; in North America, parts of Europe, and Oceania the rising incidence rates were generally observed until the 1990s, with a stabilization seen thereafter. CONCLUSION: Marked variations in NHL incidence rates remain in populations in each world region. Special attention should be given to further etiological research on the role of endemic infections and environmental exposures, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. To permit internationally comparable statistics, an equal focus on addressing the quality of hematological information in population-based registries is also warranted.

Changing geographical patterns and trends in cancer incidence in children and adolescents in Europe, 1991-2010 (Automated Childhood Cancer Information System): a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: A deceleration in the increase in cancer incidence in children and adolescents has been reported in several national and regional studies in Europe. Based on a large database representing 1·3 billion person-years over the period 1991-2010, we provide a consolidated report on cancer incidence trends at ages 0-19 years. METHODS: We invited all population-based cancer registries operating in European countries to participate in this population-based registry study. We requested a listing of individual records of cancer cases, including sex, age, date of birth, date of cancer diagnosis, tumour sequence number, primary site, morphology, behaviour, and the most valid basis of diagnosis. We also requested population counts in each calendar year by sex and age for the registration area, from official national sources, and specific information about the covered area and registration practices. An eligible registry could become a contributor if it provided quality data for all complete calendar years in the period 1991-2010. Incidence rates and the average annual percentage change with 95% CIs were reported for all cancers and major diagnostic groups, by region and overall, separately for children (age 0-14 years) and adolescents (age 15-19 years). We examined and quantified the stability of the trends with joinpoint analyses. FINDINGS: For the years 1991-2010, 53 registries in 19 countries contributed a total of 180 335 unique cases. We excluded 15 162 (8·4%) of 180 335 cases due to differing practices of registration, and considered the quality indicators for the 165 173 cases included to be satisfactory. The average annual age-standardised incidence was 137·5 (95% CI 136·7-138·3) per million person-years and incidence increased significantly by 0·54% (0·44-0·65) per year in children (age 0-14 years) with no change in trend. In adolescents, the combined European incidence was 176·2 (174·4-178·0) per million person-years based on all 35 138 eligible cases and increased significantly by 0·96% (0·73-1·19) per year, although recent changes in rates among adolescents suggest a deceleration in this increasing trend. We observed temporal variations in trends by age group, geographical region, and diagnostic group. The combined age-standardised incidence of leukaemia based on 48 458 cases in children was 46·9 (46·5-47·3) per million person-years and increased significantly by 0·66% (0·48-0·84) per year. The average overall incidence of leukaemia in adolescents was 23·6 (22·9-24·3) per million person-years, based on 4702 cases, and the average annual change was 0·93% (0·49-1·37). We also observed increasing incidence of lymphoma in adolescents (average annual change 1·04% [0·65-1·44], malignant CNS tumours in children (average annual change 0·49% [0·20-0·77]), and other tumours in both children (average annual change 0·56 [0·40-0·72]) and adolescents (average annual change 1·17 [0·82-1·53]). INTERPRETATION: Improvements in the diagnosis and registration of cancers over time could partly explain the observed increase in incidence, although some changes in underlying putative risk factors cannot be excluded. Cancer incidence trends in this young population require continued monitoring at an international level. FUNDING: Federal Ministry of Health of the Federal German Government, the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme, and International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Neuroblastoma among children in Southern and Eastern European cancer registries: Variations in incidence and temporal trends compared to US.

Neuroblastoma comprises the most common neoplasm during infancy (first year of life). Our study describes incidence of neuroblastoma in Southern-Eastern Europe (SEE), including - for the first time - the Nationwide Registry for Childhood Hematological Malignancies and Solid Tumors (NARECHEM-ST)/Greece, compared to the US population, while controlling for human development index (HDI). Age-adjusted incidence rates (AIR) were calculated for 1,859 childhood (0-14 years) neuroblastoma cases, retrieved from 13 collaborating SEE registries (1990-2016), and were compared to those of SEER/US (N = 3,166; 1990-2012); temporal trends were assessed using Poisson regression and Joinpoint analyses. The overall AIR was significantly lower in SEE (10.1/million) compared to SEER (11.7 per million); the difference was maximum during infancy (43.7 vs. 53.3 per million, respectively), when approximately one-third of cases were diagnosed. Incidence rates of neuroblastoma at ages <1 and 1-4 years were positively associated with HDI, whereas lower median age at diagnosis was correlated with higher overall AIR. Distribution of primary site and histology was similar in SEE and SEER. Neuroblastoma was slightly more common among males compared to females (male-to-female ratio: 1.1), mainly among SEE infants. Incidence trends decreased in infants in Slovenia, Cyprus and SEER and increased in Ukraine and Belarus. The lower incidence in SEE compared to SEER, especially in infants living in low HDI countries possibly indicates a lower level of overdiagnosis in SEE. Hence, increases in incidence rates in infancy noted in some subpopulations should be carefully monitored to avoid the unnecessary costs health impacts of tumors that could potentially spontaneously regress.

The influence of prenatal exposure to trans-fatty acids for development of childhood haematopoietic neoplasms (EnTrance): a natural societal experiment and a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the causes of childhood cancer, partly as not many children develop cancer, although childhood cancer is a leading cause of death by disease in the young. The young age of the children suggests that risk factors for childhood cancer may be present during pregnancy. Previous studies have shown that exposure to trans-fat, a type of unsaturated fat common in industrially produced foods (iTFA), has adverse health effects in adults, including the risk of developing cancer. Haematopoietic neoplasms are the most common cancer types among European children under the age of 15 years. This study will bring new knowledge as to whether trans-fat and other fatty acids may also increase the risk of developing haematopoietic neoplasms during childhood. METHODS: We will investigate if the Danish iTFA legislation ban, which radically reduced the use of iTFA in foodstuffs, influenced the risk of childhood haematopoietic neoplasms in children born either before or after the change in legislation, adjusting for relevant secular trends. Further, in a case-control study, we will examine if levels of fatty acids in dried blood spots from newborns can predict the risk of developing childhood haematopoietic neoplasms. Permission from the Danish Data Protection Agency and the Ethical Committee has been granted. DISCUSSION: The results from this study will provide important information about fatty acids in the mother's diet as a contributor to development of haematopoietic neoplasms during childhood, which may result in relevant preventive action. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not relevant.

Cancer incidence in children and young adults living in industrially contaminated sites: from the Italian experience to the development of an international surveillance system.

BACKGROUND: this paper is based upon work from COST Action ICSHNet. Children's environmental health is on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The incidence of childhood cancer is increasing worldwide and in Europe. Yet, the aetiology of most childhood cancers, including the role of environmental carcinogens, is still largely unknown. Contaminated areas, especially of industrial origin, are of high concern due to complex mix of hazardous pollutants and their potential health impacts on human populations, notably in children. OBJECTIVES: to describe cancer risk in children and young adults (YA) residing in national priority contaminated sites (NPCSs) in Italy and to provide a suitable framework for a development of cancer surveillance in industrially contaminated sites (ICSs) in Europe. METHODS: this study is based on a collaborative work of the Italian Institute of Health (ISS) and the Italian Association of Cancer Registries (AIRTUM), in the context of the SENTIERI project (Epidemiological study of residents in National Priority Contaminated Sites). Incidence rates were standardised according to the European standard population. The number of observed cases was compared to the expected cases derived from the age-, sex-, and cancer-specific incidence rates of the national pool of AIRTUM registries for the period 2006-2013. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. The study reports the cancer profile in all combined 28 NPCSs covered by 22 cancer registries. RESULTS: 1,050 cases of malignant tumours (MTs) were recorded among 3,161,786 person-years in people aged 0-29 years in 28 NPCSs (SIR: 1.03; 90%CI 0.98-1.09), with an age-standardised incidence rate of 317 per million. Excess risks were observed for: MT of the central nervous system in the age-group <1 year (SIR: 3.2; 90%CI 1.4-6.3); soft tissue sarcoma in the age-group 0-14 years (SIR: 1.6; 90%CI 1.1-2.3); acute myeloid leukaemia in the agegroup 0-14 years (SIR: 1.7; 90%CI 1.1-2.4); non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the age-group 20-24 years (SIR 1.5; 90%CI 1.1-2.1), and germ cell tumours of male gonads in the age-group 20-29 years (SIR: 1.33; 90%CI 1.1-1.5). A deficit of cases was observed for Hodgkin lymphomas in the age-group 20-29 years (SIR 0.8; 90%CI 0.6-1.0). DISCUSSION: this study, which is based on standardized methods and accredited information sources, supports the hypothesis that living in an NPCS increases the risk of some cancer types in children and young adults. Further work will concern groups of NPCSs characterised by common sources of contamination/key carcinogenic pollutants. In fact, in a novel project proposal we aim to monitor the cancer profile in children living in ICSs in Europe. The new project, based on the SENTIERI-AIRTUM methodology, will build on the networking activities of the COST Action on Industrially Contaminated Sites and Health Networking (ICSHNet) and childhood cancer studies coordinated by the International Agency for research on Cancer (IARC).

Cancer incidence and mortality among young adults aged 20-39 years worldwide in 2012: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: To date, the burden of cancer among young adults has rarely been studied in depth. Our aim was to describe the scale and profile of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide among 20-39 year-olds, highlighting major patterns by age, sex, development level, and geographical region. METHODS: We did a population-based study to quantify the burden of young adult cancers worldwide. We defined young adult cancers as those occurring between the ages of 20 and 39 years because these individuals will have passed puberty and adolescence, but not yet experienced the effects of hormonal decline, immune response deterioration, or organ dysfunction associated with chronic health conditions. Global, regional, and country-specific (n=184) data estimates of the number of new cancer cases and cancer-associated deaths that occurred in 2012 among young adults were extracted in four 5-year bands from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's GLOBOCAN 2012 for all cancers combined and for 27 major types as defined by the International Classification of Disease, tenth revision. We report the number of new cancer cases and cancer-associated deaths overall and by sex alongside corresponding age-standardised rates (ASR) per 100 000 people per year. We also present results using four levels of the Human Development Index (HDI; low [least developed], medium, high, and very high [most developed]), which is a composite indicator for socioeconomic development comprising life expectancy, education, and gross national income. FINDINGS: 975 396 new cancer cases and 358 392 cancer-associated deaths occurred among young adults worldwide in 2012, which equated to an ASR of 43·3 new cancer cases per 100 000 people per year and 15·9 cancer-associated deaths per 100 000 people per year. The burden was disproportionally greater among women and the most common cancer types overall in terms of new cases were female breast cancer, cervical cancer, thyroid cancer, leukaemia, and colorectal cancer; in terms of deaths, female breast cancer, liver cancer, leukaemia, and cervical cancer were the main contributors. When assessed by development level and geographical region, the cancer profile varied substantially; generally, the burden of infection-associated cancers was greater in regions under transition. Cancer incidence was elevated in very high-HDI regions compared with low-HDI regions (ASR 64·5 vs 46·2 cancer cases per 100 000 people per year); however, the mortality burden was 3 times higher in low-HDI regions (ASR 25·4 vs 9·2 cancer-associated deaths per 100 000 people per year), reflecting differences in cancer profiles and inferior outcomes. INTERPRETATION: The global cancer burden among 20-39 year-olds differs from that seen in younger or older ages and varies substantially by age, sex, development level, and geographical region. Although the cancer burden is lower in this age group than that observed in older ages, the societal and economic effects remain great given the major effects of premature morbidity and mortality. Targeted surveillance, prevention, and treatment are needed to reduce the cancer burden in this underserved age group. FUNDING: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and European Commission's FP-7 Marie Curie Actions-People-COFUND.