title: Increasing incidence rates of childhood malignant diseases in Sweden during the period 1960-1998.
abstract: We analysed the trends in incidence rates of childhood cancer in Sweden. All cases of malignant diseases and benign brain tumours in children, 0-14 years old, reported to the Swedish Cancer Registry 1960 to 1998 were included, n=9298. Cases were classified according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. Average annual change in incidence rate was calculated to +1.01%, (95% confidence interval CI=0.80, 1.22). An increase in incidence rate per year was found for leukaemia, +0.85% (95% CI=0.42, 1.28), lymphomas +1.87% (95% CI=1.17, 2.58), CNS (central nervous system) tumours +1.45% (95% CI=1.02, 1.88), sympathetic nervous system tumours +1.61% (95% CI=0.79, 2.44), hepatic tumours +2.62% (95% CI=2.02, 3.21), and germ cell and gonadal tumours +1.21% (95% CI=0.23, 2.19). Of the CNS tumours, significant changes were seen for low-grade glioma/astrocytoma +2.10% (95% CI=1.41, 2.80), benign brain tumours +3.77% (95% CI=2.47, 5.10), and PNET/medulloblastoma +1.96% (95% CI=0.48, 3.46). Changes in diagnostic criteria and better diagnostic tools may have contributed to these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital, SE-701 85 Orebro, Sweden. lottie.dreifaldt@orebroll.se
authors.forename: Ann Charlotte
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Dreifaldt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlberg
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018237:Germinoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007938:Leukemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology