Cancer is the second commonest cause of death, after accidents, among children in developed countries, while in developing countries, improvements in the control of communicable diseases and the occurrence of premature delivery may lead to the emergence of cancer in children as a greater public health problem than in the past. The rationale for considering childhood cancers separately from cancers in adults in that there are differences in the sites of occurrence, in the histological appearance and in their clinical behavior. This book reviews the epidemiology of specific types of childhood cancer to mid-1997. The scale of the problem is first reviewed in a major compilation of data on the descriptive epidemiology of childhood cancer, then separate chapters describe studies of the different postulated causal factors and summarize what can be concluded from them.

Since the late 1960s, the survival rate in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer has steadily improved, with a corresponding decline in the cancer-specific death rate. Although the improvements in survival are encouraging, they have come at the cost of acute, chronic, and late adverse effects precipitated by the toxicities associated with the individual or combined use of different types of treatment (e.g., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy). In some cases, the impairments resulting from cancer and its treatment are severe enough to qualify a child for U.S. Social Security Administration disability benefits. At the request of Social Security Administration, Childhood Cancer and Functional Impacts Across the Care Continuum provides current information and findings and conclusions regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of selected childhood cancers, including different types of malignant solid tumors, and the effect of those cancers on childrenâ (TM)s health and functional capacity, including the relative levels of functional limitation typically associated with the cancers and their treatment. This report also provides a summary of selected treatments currently being studied in clinical trials and identifies any limitations on the availability of these treatments, such as whether treatments are available only in certain geographic areas.

Get a quick, expert overview of the many key facets of pediatric cancer genetics with this concise, practical resource by Dr. Nathaniel H. Robin and Meagan Farmer, MS, CGC, MBA. Ideal for pediatric oncologists and all providers who care for children, this easy-to-read reference addresses the remarkable potential of genetic testing as well as the complexities of choosing the correct test, understanding the results, and counseling the family. - Features a wealth of information on pediatric cancer genetics, including the epidemiology and biology of cancer and the genetic evaluation process and role of genetic counsellors - Highlights examples of syndromes that present in childhood and increase susceptibility to cancer - Discusses the genetic evaluation process in context of the multidisciplinary care of children with cancer - Considers the ethical and legal issues of genetic testing in children and provides illustrative case examples - Consolidates today's available information and guidance in this timely area into one convenient resource - Features a wealth of information on pediatric cancer genetics, including the epidemiology and biology of cancer and the genetic evaluation process and role of genetic counselors. - Highlights examples of syndromes that present in childhood and increase susceptibility to cancer. - Discusses the genetic evaluation process in context of the multidisciplinary care of children with cancer. - Considers the ethical and legal issues of genetic testing in children and provides illustrative case examples. - Consolidates today's available information and guidance in this timely area into one convenient resource.

Providing a comprehensive review of the multiple disciplines that make up the care and research agendas for children with cancer, this thoroughly updated edition provides state-of-the-art information on the molecular genetics and biology of cancer as well as new approaches to diagnosis and management.

Data obtained by population based cancer registries have a pivotal role in cancer control. Now also available in Spanish and French, this volume, which contains 15 authored chapters and four useful appendices, remains a standard reference for those planning to establish new cancer registries and those keen to adopt recognized methodologies. Information is given on the techniques required to collect, store, analyse and interpret data.

Public Health

Cancer is diagnosed in about 140 per million children in Britain each year. There is a 1 in 500 chance that a child will be affected in the first 15 years of life, the most frequently occurring types of cancer being leukaemia and brain tumours. This book covers the descriptive epidemiology of childhood cancer in Britain, based on the unique work of the National Registry of Childhood Tumours, the largest population-based specialist childhood cancer registry in the world. The book provides a detailed account of national incidence and survival rates for childhood cancer in Britain during 1991-2000, and trends during 1966-2000. There is also an account of childhood mortality for the period 1965-2004. The diagnoses are classified throughout according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, the first time the third edition of this standard classification has been used for prevalence of incidence, survival and mortality data. The chapter on incidence rates is relevant to planning of health service provision and design of research studies on aetiology, whilst the chapter on trends in incidence is relevant to the possible effects of changes in environmental and other risk factors. In addition to comprehensive tables of rates, age-incidence graphs are provided for all the major types of childhood cancer, and possible artefacts are also discussed. The survival data demonstrates how clinical progress over the past 40 years has led to a major increase in the number of cancer survivors. The role of the Registry, covering history, methodology, current and future uses, is also discussed. This definitive work is the culmination of decades of epidemiological research and is essential reading for anyone involved in paediatric oncology or cancer epidemiology.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of all aspects of childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, from basic biology to supportive care. It offers new insights into the genetic pre-disposition to the condition and discusses how response to early therapy and its basic biology are utilized to develop new prognostic stratification systems and target therapy. Readers will learn about current treatment and outcomes, such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy approaches. Supportive care and management of the condition in resource poor countries are also discussed in detail. This is an indispensable guide for research and laboratory scientists, pediatric hematologists as well as specialist nurses involved in the care of childhood leukemia.

In the late 1980s, the National Cancer Institute initiated an investigation of cancer risks in populations near 52 commercial nuclear power plants and 10 Department of Energy nuclear facilities (including research and nuclear weapons production facilities and one reprocessing plant) in the United States. The results of the NCI investigation were used a primary resource for communicating with the public about the cancer risks near the nuclear facilities. However, this study is now over 20 years old. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested that the National Academy of Sciences provide an updated assessment of cancer risks in populations near USNRC-licensed nuclear facilities that utilize or process uranium for the production of electricity. Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1 focuses on identifying scientifically sound approaches for carrying out an assessment of cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility, judgments about the strengths and weaknesses of various statistical power, ability to assess potential confounding factors, possible biases, and required effort. The results from this Phase 1 study will be used to inform the design of cancer risk assessment, which will be carried out in Phase 2. This report is beneficial for the general public, communities near nuclear facilities, stakeholders, healthcare providers, policy makers, state and local officials, community leaders, and the media.