Population-based survival of children in New Zealand diagnosed with cancer during 1990-1993

Abstract

In this study, we have aimed to characterise the survival of all 0-14 year-old New Zealand children who were diagnosed with cancer during 1990-1993. Four hundred and nine children were followed up using two largely independent sources. We calculated Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities and investigated various prognostic factors using the Cox model. Five-year survival for all cancers was 66% (95% confidence interval (CI) 62-71%) and for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia it was 70% (CI 62-79%). Cancers with particularly favourable prognoses (followed by their respective 5-year survival probabilities) included: retinoblastoma 100% (CI 74-100%), Hodgkin's disease 93% (CI 79-100%), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 87% (CI 73-100%) and osteosarcoma 91% (CI 74-100%). Cancers with poor prognoses included: neuroblastoma 35% (CI 14-56%), rhabdomyosarcoma 42% (CI 14-70%) and central nervous system tumours 49% (CI 38-60%). Girls with any cancer had a significantly lower risk of death than boys. Generally, survival for childhood cancers in New Zealand increased greatly between 1961-1965 and 1990-1993. Nevertheless, outcomes for some cancers remained poor. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.