The Big Facts About Childhood Cancer
In India, only 20% minors survive cancer, as compared to more than 80% in western countries.
Data: Tata Memorial Hospital, February 2017
Holistic support coupled with prospective tracking reduces abandonment in childhood cancers
| Preference for TCAM | 31% |
| Financial constraints | 28% |
| False belief of incurability of cancer | 26% |
| Anxiety regarding toxicity | 8% |
| Gender bias | 4% |
| Crowded treatment center | 2% |
| No help at home | 1% |
Results of a telephone audit of predominant reasons for Treatment Abandonment TxA (2011). TCAM, Traditional Complementary Alternative Medicine. Only the dominant reason in each case has been mentioned. The total number of abandonment in 2010 and 2011: 182. Number of respondents: 85 (refused to participate/ uncontactable: 97)
Cancer incidence rates among children in Indian registries (2006-2011)
| Registry location | Percentage of children among cancer affected (MALE) | Percentage of children among cancer affected (FEMALE) |
| North – India | 5.8 | 2.8 |
| South – India | 1.7-3.1 | 1.4-2 |
| Central – India | 3.3 | 2.5 |
| East/North – east-India | 0.8-2.9 | 0.5-2.5 |
| Western-India | 2.2-4.2 | 1.3-1.9 |
| Rural western -India | 3.5-4.7 | 2.2-3.4 |
| All-regions 0.8-5.8 | 0.8-5.8 | 0.5-3.4 |
• Secondary data analysis on age-adjusted rates of cancer incidence for children (0-14 years) were collected from the report of the National Cancer Registry Programme in the year 2016.
• Childhood cancer incidence ranged from 18.5 per million in the state of Nagaland to 235.3 per million in Delhi for boys. The rates were 11.4 per million in East Khasi Hill district and 152.3 per million in Delhi for girls.
• Leukemia was the most predominant cancer for both boys and girls.
• Lymphoma was the second most common cancer in boys, and brain tumors in girls. And the incidence is increasing in India compared to the population-based cancer registry survey of 2009-2011.
. Childhood cancer incidence is increasing in India compared to population-based cancer registry survey of 2009-2011.
