Revista de Oncología Integrativa

Childhood Cancer - A Silent Killer of Children in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

Syed Azizur Rahman

Childhood cancer is an emerging health challenge in many developing countries. Globally, an estimated 215,000 children of < 15 years and 85,000 adolescents of 15-19 develop cancer each year, and 80% of them live in developing countries. This population will exceed 90% in the next two decades due to an increasing size of the young population in favor of developing countries. Over 100,000 children die needlessly every year, most without any basic effective pain relief, undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, diagnosed too late or not treatment at all. If diagnosed at an early stage, and if treatment is available, most childhood cancers are highly curable. At least 50% of childhood cancer can be cured by simple treatments. The survival gap between rich and poor countries is widening. The reason is mainly due to the success of pediatric cancer therapy in developed countries. Diagnostic and treatment protocols and high adherence rates in these countries improve childhood cancer survival by 75-80%. However, in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), children are not benefitting from these improvements. Largely, because of abandonment rates are high and there are limited supportive care services to prevent treatment related morbidity or mortality.