Childhood Cancer Awareness

Cancer is an important cause of mortality in many of the economically developed nations of the world. More than 10% of all deaths in children below 15 years of age are caused by malignant diseases in developed countries. In the developing world, childhood cancers are yet to be recognized as a major pediatric illness due to several other competing causes of death like diarrheal illness and respiratory illness. However, due to considerable reduction in infant and child mortality rates experienced in a few developing countries, it is emerging as a distinct entity to be dealt upon. For instance the infant and child mortality rates in Kerala are considerably below national average and in tune with the increase in the diagnosis of degenerative diseases, childhood cancers are being increasingly diagnosed(3). An attempt is made in this paper to describe the pattern of pediatric cancer seen at Regional Cancer Center, Thiruvananthapuram, which is likely to more often reflect the pattern in the community. In the absence of reliable population registration, hospital statistics in developing countries provide the only available window to observe the disease pattern in the community.