Ethnic differences in the incidence of childhood cancer

Česká verzia

Authors: P. Bician ¹; M. Mego ²
Authors place of work: Klinika pediatrickej onkológie a hematológie DFNsP, Banská Bystrica, Slovenská republika ¹; II. Onkologická klinika LFUK a NOU, Bratislava, Slovenská republika ²
Published in the journal: Klin Onkol 2023; 36(3): 192-197
Category: Review
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/ccko2023192

Summary

Background: In 2020, 19,292,789 new malignancies were diagnosed worldwide (including non-melanoma skin cancer), causing 9,958,133 deaths. Europe, which accounts for 9% of the world‘s population, accounts for up to 22.8%, with 4.4 million new cases and 1.96 million deaths. Children and adolescents aged 0–19 account for only about 1% of the overall cancer incidence. Differences between adults and children with cancer include not only incidence but also mortality (approx. 45% at the age of ≥ 20 years compared to 15% at the age < 19 years), and individual types of cancer (breast, colon and lung tumors at the age > 20 years, and leukemia, central nervous system tumors and lymphomas at the age of <19 years). We also observe a different incidence based on ethnicity. In most cases of adult malignancies, black population has a higher incidence than white population. In Slovakia, the Roma are one of the largest ethnic minorities. The first data on the incidence or other characteristics of cancer in the Roma and non-Roma population were provided by the first publication in 2017. The differences in the incidence of malignancies based on ethnicity have been published for adults as well as children. The incidence of cancer in white children is higher than in black children. The data on differences in the incidence or other characteristics of malignant tumors in the population of Roma and non-Roma children are missing, despite the fact that in Roma children some diseases, such as e. g. congenital glaucoma or polycystic kidneys, are more common compared to non-Roma children. Purpose: The presented review provides information on ethnic differences in the incidence of malignant tumors in children. Considering the genetic difference of the Roma from the majority population of Slovakia, we can assume that this difference also plays a hitherto undetected role in the pathogenesis of malignant tumors. The aim of the article is to point out the need to find out the exact incidence of malignant tumors in children of this ethnicity. In case of difference in incidence, or representation of individual types of malignant tumors, this information could be used for a deeper and more detailed study of oncogenesis in the Roma ethnic group.

Keywords:

ethnicity – Pediatric oncology – cancer incidence – Roma

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