Childhood cancer mortality falling in US

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - From 1990 to 2004, the death rates in children with cancer in the United States fell from 34.2 percent to 27.3 percent, according to findings released Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The figures also show, however, that while the overall death rate fell during that period, the reductions differed by geographic region, race and ethnicity.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assessed the trends in childhood cancer mortality by analyzing data from the National Vital Statistics System.

According to the report, the bulk of childhood cancer deaths in 2004 were due to leukemias and brain or other nervous system malignancies; each accounted for roughly 25 percent of the deaths. The annual drop in mortality during the study, however, was much higher for children with leukemia than for brain/nervous system malignancies, at 3.0 percent versus1.0 percent.

Of the racial groups studied, the annual change in childhood cancer mortality was highest for American Indian/Alaska Natives, declining by 2.0 percent, and lowest for blacks and Asians/Pacific Islanders, declining by 1.6 percent.

In terms of ethnicity, non-Hispanics experienced an annual drop of 1.6 percent, while Hispanics experienced a reduction of just 1.0 percent.

Annual reductions in childhood cancer mortality by geographical region ranged from 1.4 percent in the West to 2.1 percent in the Midwest, the researchers note.

"The overall trend of declining childhood cancer mortality during 1990-2004 likely reflects better treatment of childhood cancer," the report states. "Possible causes of disparities in childhood cancer death rates need to be studied further. By addressing these factors, geographic and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer death might be reduced, and children with cancer might live longer."

SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 6, 2007.