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WHAT'S NEW THS MONDAY: PEDIATRIC CANCER IN LOW-INCOME AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

Sunday, 24th of February 2013

• PAEDIATRIC CANCER IN LOW-INCOME AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES  

 

The Lancet Oncology, Early Online Publication, 20 February 2013  

 

Original Text

Prof Ian Magrath DSc [Med] a b , Eva Steliarova-Foucher PhD c, Sidnei Epelman MD d, Prof Raul C Ribeiro MD e, Prof Mhamed Harif MD f, Prof Chi-Kong Li MD g, Prof Rejin Kebudi MD h, Scott D Macfarlane MBChB i, Prof Scott C Howard MD e

Patterns of cancer incidence across the world have undergone substantial changes as a result of industrialisation and economic development. However, the economies of most countries remain at an early or intermediate stage of development—these stages are characterised by poverty, too few health-care providers, weak health systems, and poor access to education, modern technology, and health care because of scattered rural populations. Low-income and middle-income countries also have younger populations and therefore a larger proportion of children with cancer than high-income countries. Most of these children die from the disease. Chronic infections, which remain the most common causes of disease-related death in all except high-income countries, can also be major risk factors for childhood cancer in poorer regions. We discuss childhood cancer in relation to global development and propose strategies that could result in improved survival. Education of the public, more and better-trained health professionals, strengthened cancer services, locally relevant research, regional hospital networks, international collaboration, and health insurance are all essential components of an enhanced model of care.

a International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, Brussels, Belgium

b Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA

c International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France

d Santa Marcelina Hospital and International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research Brasil, São Paulo, Brazil

e St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA

f Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mohammed VI, Marrakesh, Morocco

g Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

h Oncology Institute and Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

i Starship Children's Health, Auckland, New Zealand

Correspondence to: Prof Ian Magrath, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, Rue Engeland 642, Brussels B-1180, Belgium