Pediatric Cancer Incidence, Temporal Trends, and Mortality in the United States by Health Disparities Indicators, SEER (1973-2014).

BACKGROUND

Pediatric cancer incidence has been increasing in the United States, despite improvement in pediatric cancer survival. This steady increase in incidence trends is not completely understood but maybe associated with social and environmental factors. In this study we aimed to assess the cumulative incidence, temporal trends, and mortality rates in pediatric cancer. Additionally, we examined sub-group variability in both incidence and mortality rates.

METHODS

Data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) -18 from 1973-2014 were used for the purpose of analysis in this study. Age-adjusted incidence rates were used to assess temporal trends in cancer among children aged <1-19 years. Univariable and multivariable binomial regression models were used to examine the association between race and cancer mortality while adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

There were 92,594 cancer diagnoses during this period. White children comprised 74,758, (80.7%), black children 10,030, (10.8%), and other races 6648, (7.2%). Overall the age-adjusted cumulative incidence was slightly higher among white children (16.4%) than black children (12.4%) and other (13.0%). Children aged 15-19 years and those in metropolitan regions were more likely to be diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Relative to females, males were 16% more likely to die from the disease [adjusted Risk Ratio (aRR): 1.16, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.09-1.22]. Additionally, compared to white children, black children had higher mortality rates [(aRR): 1.37, 99% CI: 1.23-1.52].

CONCLUSIONS

There is an increasing trend in pediatric cancer incidence; while white children have the highest incidence, black children and males indicated a survival disadvantage, indicative of racial and sex variability in overall pediatric cancer in the United States.