Spectrum of pediatric cancers in Mozambique: an analysis of hospital and population-based data.
The existing data provide little detail about the epidemiology of pediatric cancers in Mozambique. We aimed at characterizing the spectrum of pediatric cancers (0-14 years) diagnosed in Mozambique in two different calendar periods. Data were obtained from the Pathology Department of the Maputo Central Hospital (DP-HCM) (1999-2000 and 2009-2010), which receives virtually all samples for histopathological diagnosis in Maputo, with the exception of leukemia, and from the population-based Cancer Registry of Beira (2009-2010). In 1999-2000, the DP-HCM diagnosed 61 cancers. Burkitt lymphoma, malignant bone tumors, and rhabdomyosarcomas accounted for 24.6%, 11.5%, and 9.8% of all cases, respectively. In 2009-2010, the number of cancers increased to 150, reflecting a two- to threefold increase in the proportion of Kaposi sarcomas, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, nephroblastomas, and neuroblastomas. In 2009-2010, the Cancer Registry of Beira registered 34 cases, corresponding to an incidence rate of 9.7/100,000 inhabitants in this age group; Kaposi sarcomas, lymphomas, retinoblastomas, and nephroblastomas accounted for 29.4%, 23.5%, 8.8%, and 8.8% of all cases, respectively. These data show that pediatric cancers account for an appreciable burden in Mozambique, probably reflecting a high frequency of HIV-associated cancers and improved access to diagnosis, and highlight the potential for improving surveillance in this low resource setting.
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.
Helena
H
Carreira
Cesaltina
C
Lorenzoni
Carla
C
Carrilho
Josefo
J
Ferro
Thebora
T
Sultane
Carlos
C
Garcia
Faizana
F
Amod
Orvalho
O
Augusto
Carla
C
Silva-Matos
Carlo
C
La Vecchia
Nuno
N
Lunet
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062486:Public Health Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012042:Registries; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods
Mozambique; child; neoplasms; public health surveillance