title: Epidemiology of childhood and adolescent cancer in Bangladesh, 2001-2014.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer burden among children and adolescents is largely unknown in Bangladesh. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview on childhood and adolescent cancers and to contribute to the future strategies to deal with these diseases in Bangladesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on malignant neoplasms in patients aged less than 20 years diagnosed between 2001 and 2014 (N = 3143) in Bangladesh was collected by the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital and ASHIC Foundation. The age pattern and distribution of cancer types were analysed and the incidence rates were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-standardised incidence rate was 7.8 per million person-years for children (0-14 years) in the last time period (2011-2014). Retinoblastoma (25%) and leukaemia (18%) were the most common childhood cancers. For adolescents (15-19 years), the age-specific incidence rate was 2.1 per million person-years in the same time period. Most common adolescent cancers were malignant bone tumours (38%), germ cell and gonadal tumours (17%), and epithelial tumours (16%). There were more boys affected (M: F ratio 2.0 in children and 1.4 in adolescents) than girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer incidences were lower than expected most likely due to a low level of awareness about cancer among clinicians and the population, inadequate access to health care, lack of diagnostic equipment and incomplete recording of cases. Improvements on different levels should be made to get a better epidemiologic insight and to detect cancer earlier resulting in a better outcome for affected children and adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Basic Sciences, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences, Darus Salam, Mirpur-1, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh. sorowar.hossain@buhs.ac.bd.
authors.forename: Mohammad Sorowar
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. begum.dr.mamtaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mamtaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.affiliation: Centre for Excellence, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. zamanpabna085@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Md Mahmuduzzaman
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mian
authors.affiliation: Talent Hub, Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh. shameemaferdous@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shameema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferdous
authors.affiliation: ASHIC Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh. dr.shahink10@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shahinur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. himu33bd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Humayun Kabir
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Sarker
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. sabinabd72@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.affiliation: ASHIC Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh. salma.choudhury@shebanet.net.
authors.forename: Salma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. a.khan2@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Asaduzzaman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: ASHIC Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh. zohorajameela@gmail.com.|Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. zohorajameela@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zohora Jameela
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. h.karim@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Henrike E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Karim-Kos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*