Childhood Cancer Burden in Part of Eastern India-Population Based Cancer Registry Data for Kolkata (1997-2004)

Abstract

The increasing magnitude of childhood cancer has become a threatening problem in developing countrieslike India. Data from the Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute(CNCI), Kolkata during 1997 to 2004 were here analyzed. CNCI receives patients from West Bengal as wellas other neighboring states and countries. Childhood cancer was found to account for 2.21% of all cancersregistered in this period. Crude and age adjusted rates were higher among boys than girls, with leukemia asthe commonest (36.8%) followed by lymphomas (14.76%) and soft tissue tumors (8.0%). Chemotherapy was themajor modality of treatment given, followed by radiotherapy and surgery. The study provides useful informationon the prevalence and management protocols of childhood cancer in this part of eastern India.