Læknablaðið - 15.11.2010, Qupperneq 16

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Survival and causes of death in children diagnosed
Objective: Of children diagnosed with cancer,
approximately one fourth die of the disease or disease
related complications. The aim of this study was to
investigate survival and causes of death in children with
cancer in lceland.
Methods: This study is retrospective; population based
and includes all children, less than 18 years of age,
diagnosed with cancer in lceland from 1981 to 2006.
Information was extracted from the lcelandic Cancer
Registry, patients hospital records and data from Statistics
lceland.
Results: Of 279 children diagnosed with cancer in the
research period 215 were alive at the end of 2008. The
overall 5-year survival was 81.2% and 10-year survival was
with cancer in lceland 1981-2006
76.7%. There was not a significant survival difference with
respect to age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, gender or
geographical residence. The small cohort size could be
the explanation. Eleven individuals developed secondary
neoplasm, eight of whom died. Sixteen of the 64
nonsurvivors were treated with curative intent until death,
12 of them died of therapy related complications.
Conclusions: Survival rate in childhood cancer in lceiand
is comparable to other Western countries. As previously
reported, prognosis of patients with secondary neoplasm
is unfavorable. Therapy related complications are the most
common cause of death in patients treated with curative
intent.
Óskarsson T, Jónsson ÓG, Kristinsson JR, Jónmundsson GK, Jónasson JG, Haraldsson A.
Survival and causes of death in children diagnosed with cancer in lceland 1981-2006. Icel Med J 2010; 96: 675-80
Key words: childhood cancer, epidemiology, survival.
Correspondence: Ásgeir Haraldsson, asgeir@landspitali.is
Barst: 14. apríl 2010, - samþykkt til birtingar: 3. október 2010
Hagsmunatengsl: Engin
680 LÆKNAblaðið 2010/96