Socioeconomic status and global variations in the incidence of neuroblastoma: call for support of population-based cancer registries in low-middle-income countries

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017 Feb;64(2):321-323. doi: 10.1002/pbc.26244. Epub 2016 Oct 13.

Abstract

Global variations in the incidence of pediatric cancers have been described; however, the causes of such differences are not known. We investigated the relationship between the incidence of embryonal tumors and human development index on a global scale. Increasing incidence of neuroblastoma correlates significantly with an increasing index of human development, with greater incidence among countries with high socioeconomic development, in apparent contrast to the incidence of retinoblastoma. While more data are needed to corroborate this observation, our findings suggest new avenues for etiological research and serve as a call for support of population-based cancer registries in low-middle-income countries.

Keywords: cancer registries; neuroblastoma; pediatric oncology; socioeconomic status.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Developing Countries
  • Female
  • Global Health / trends*
  • Human Development*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / epidemiology*
  • Neuroblastoma / epidemiology*
  • Poverty
  • Prognosis
  • Registries / statistics & numerical data*
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Retinoblastoma / epidemiology*
  • Social Class