MUMBAI, 16 SEPTEMBER, 2022 (GPN): On World Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month

Dr. Pritam Singha Roy, Consultant Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, Kolkata, said,  “Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in children after accidents. The most frequent malignancies in children include blood cancer (leukemia/lymphoma), brain tumors, abdominal tumors (Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma, etc.), and bone tumors. Due to the lack of a comprehensive, nationwide cancer registry, the exact burden of pediatric cancer in India remains unknown. However, Childhood cancer rates have been progressively growing in India over the last several decades. The prevalence varies greatly across the country, ranging from over 200 per million in Delhi to about 150 per million in Chennai and 120 per million in the northeastern areas. Looking at the scenario in West Bengal, according to an ICMR analysis released in 2021, the incidence of pediatric cancer per million was 62 for males and 57 for girls.”

He further averred, “The procedure of cancer diagnosis and treatment in children is similar to that of adults. The diagnostic method includes scanning the tumor, taking a biopsy, and evaluating the cancer stage. The therapeutic options include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. There has been the advent of immunotherapy in recent years. With recent breakthroughs in diagnostic procedures and treatment choices, 85% of children with cancer get cured. Overall, this is a significant improvement since the mid-1970s, when the 5-year survival rate was at 60%. Still, survival rates in underdeveloped nations like India are inadequate; a delayed referral to cancer clinics is a major cause of this. A significant gap between a large load of childhood cancer and a limited number of pediatric cancer units and qualified pediatric oncologists in India is a key impediment to increasing cancer survival in children.”