Background: Each year more than 200,000 new cancer cases are expected in children & adolescents aged 0-14 years at global level. Although the long term survival rates have been improved to 85% in high income countries, it is still lower than this LMICs with a wide range around the world. Pediatric registries are critical for planning for pediatric cancer care. This study summarizes the update of pediatric cancer registry in Turkey. Aim: To analyze the pediatric cancer distribution through Turkish Pediatric Cancer Registry for the years of 2009-2017. Method: Turkish Pediatric Oncology Group and Turkish Pediatric Hematology Association established a Web based cancer registry in Turkey in 2002. The registry information for 2002-2008 was presented earlier. This study, now, is presents the distribution of pediatric cancers for the years of 2009-2017. International Childhood Classification System was used in classification. Basic demographic findings, ICD-O-3 morphology & topography codes were recorded for each cases. This is an update of the Turkish Pediatric Cancer Registry. Results: During the 9 years from 2009 to 2017, 14,769 pediatric cancer cases were recorded. For all cases, median age was 6.7 years (0-17 M/F 8318/6443, 3 hermaphrodite 5 unknown). Age distribution was 0-4 yrs, 40.8%; 5-9 yrs, 24.5%; 10-14 yrs, 23.3%; 15-19 yrs, 11.4%. The distribution of tumor types were [number of cases, percentage of total, median age years, M/F]: leukemia (4114, 27.9%, 5.5, 2366/1748); lymphoma and other RES tumors (2823, 19.1%, 9.6, 1904/914, 1 hermaphrodite 4 unknown); CNS [brain & spinal] (1950, 13.2%, 7.1, 1072/828); sympathetic system (1166, 7.9%, 2.4, 609/557); retinoblastoma (351, 2.4%, 1.4, 197/154); renal (736, 5.0%, 3.3, 345/391); liver (242, 1.6%, 1.8, 132/110); malignant bone (965, 6.5%, 12.6, 527/438); soft tissue sarcomas (991, 6.7%, 7.4, 580/411); germ cell (911, 6.2%, 8.2, 331/577, 2 hermaphrodite, 1 unknown); carcinoma and other malignant epithelial (436, 3.0%, 13.6, 212/224); other/nonspecific malignant (84, 0.6%, 7.1, 43/41) tumors. Five year survival rate was found as 67.8%. Conclusion: Registry provides the essential information for planning the pediatric cancer care. This registry became a critical source for health care professionals in Turkey since beginning. Survival rates for children increased to 67.8% based on this study. This is compatible with the survival rates from other upper middle income countries. This data also allows the comparison of the national data with the national and international studies. Investment on the pediatric cancer registry is one of the first steps of investments on pediatric cancer care.
Surgical protocol violations in children with renal tumors provides an opportunity to improve pediatric cancer care: a report from the Children's Oncology Group
