title: The management of children with cancer in Papua New Guinea: a review of children with cancer at Port Moresby General Hospital.
abstract: In the period of three and a half years between January 1998 and June 2001, 64 children with cancer were seen at the Paediatric Unit of Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH). 62 children presented for the first time, whilst 2 were under review, having started treatment in 1996. The male:female ratio was 1.8:1. The median age was 60 months with an interquartile range of 36-84 months. 50% of the children were from the Port Moresby area, 15% from Central Province and 35% were referred from other provinces. Lymphoma, with Burkitt's lymphoma predominating, was as common as leukaemia. 20 (31%) of the children presented either at an advanced stage of disease or with cancer associated with a poor prognosis with available treatment, and were not offered curative treatment. 2 children transferred overseas for treatment. Of 42 families offered treatment 38 accepted and continued. At review 5 years after the start of the study 19 of the 20 children not offered treatment were known to have died and the outcome for 1 was unknown. Of the 38 children who underwent treatment at PMGH 24 (63%) were known to have died, 2 (5%) were still under treatment, 7 (18%) were in remission and the outcome for 5 (13%) was unknown. Of the 24 known to have died, remission induction failed in 16, relapse followed remission in 3 and 5 died from infection. The mean (SD) survival of those who died was 3.9 (3.4) months. 24 (51%) of the 47 known deceased children died in hospital, including 7 (32%) of the 22 referred patients. Significant problems were encountered in patient treatment. Infections occurred in 74% of treated children and drug shortages were experienced in 26%. The substantial problems faced by the families included marital discord, major financial hardship and, for those referred from other provinces whose children died, major delays and difficulties in repatriation. It is suggested that in Papua New Guinea the most appropriate approach to treatment for most children with cancer is the model in which paediatricians at the child's nearest appropriately staffed hospital take responsibility. Appropriate drug regimens, readily available drugs, ongoing advice and data collection should be coordinated through a central source. Accurate data should facilitate rational decisions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiromat
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Vince
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oswyn
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tefuarani
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D019049:Developed Countries; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012042:Registries