Department of Paediatric Oncology-Haematology and Doctor 2 Doctor Program, VU University Medical Centre, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
Arch Dis Child. 2012 Jun;97(6):508-12. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2011-300829. Epub 2012 Apr 25.
Basic epidemiological information on childhood cancer in Western Kenya is lacking. This deficit obstructs efforts to improve the care and survival rates of children in this part of the world.
Our study provides an overview of childhood cancer patients presenting for treatment in Western Kenya.
A retrospective analysis of childhood cancer patients presenting for treatment in Western Kenya was carried out using information from three separate databases at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. All patients aged 0-19 years first presenting between January 2006 and January 2010 with a newly diagnosed malignancy were included.
A total of 436 children with cancer were registered during the period. There were 256 (59%) boys and 180 (41%) girls with a male/female ratio of 1.4:1. The group aged 6-10 years contained most children (29%). Median age at admission was 8 years. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was the most common type of cancer (34%), followed by acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (15%), Hodgkin's lymphoma (8%), nephroblastoma (8%), rhabdomyosarcoma (7%), retinoblastoma (5%) and Kaposi's sarcoma (5%). Only four (1%) children with brain tumours were documented. Ewing's sarcoma was not diagnosed.
Our study provides an overview of childhood cancer patients presenting for treatment in Western Kenya. The distribution of malignancies is similar to findings from other equatorial African countries but differs markedly from studies in high-income countries. The new comprehensive cancer registration system will be continued and extended to serve as the basis for an evidence-based oncology program. Eventually this may lead to improved clinical outcomes.
肯尼亚西部缺乏儿童癌症的基本流行病学信息。这一缺陷阻碍了改善该地区儿童护理和生存率的努力。
我们的研究提供了肯尼亚西部接受治疗的儿童癌症患者的概述。
使用埃尔多雷特莫伊教学和转诊医院的三个独立数据库中的信息，对在肯尼亚西部接受治疗的儿童癌症患者进行了回顾性分析。所有年龄在 0-19 岁之间的患者，在 2006 年 1 月至 2010 年 1 月期间首次确诊患有新发性恶性肿瘤。
在此期间共登记了 436 名癌症儿童。其中 256 名（59%）为男孩，180 名（41%）为女孩，男女比例为 1.4:1。6-10 岁组的儿童最多（29%）。入院时的中位年龄为 8 岁。非霍奇金淋巴瘤是最常见的癌症类型（34%），其次是急性淋巴细胞白血病（15%）、霍奇金淋巴瘤（8%）、肾母细胞瘤（8%）、横纹肌肉瘤（7%）、视网膜母细胞瘤（5%）和卡波西肉瘤（5%）。只有 4 名（1%）脑肿瘤患儿有记录。未诊断出尤文肉瘤。
我们的研究提供了肯尼亚西部接受治疗的儿童癌症患者的概述。恶性肿瘤的分布与其他赤道非洲国家的发现相似，但与高收入国家的研究明显不同。新的全面癌症登记系统将继续，并扩展为基于循证肿瘤学计划的基础。最终，这可能会导致临床结果的改善。
