Abstract

PURPOSE
The incidence of childhood cancer in the Korea was studied to compare incidence rates between countries and between different regions in Korea.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A tatal of 2,891 cases, registered in the Natinal Cancer Registy from 1993 to 1995, were analysied. Death Certificate Only(DCO) cases were not included. DCO % was estimated about 22%. We calculated the incidence rates according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. The age-standardized rates by diagnostic group was compared with those of other countries. The total incidence of childhood cancer were compared among 34 cities in Korea with the rates in the rest of the nation.
RESULTS
The crude incidence of all childhood cancer was 94.1 per million. The cumulative incidence to age 15 was 0.137% and the age-standardized rate, calculated using the world standard population, was 96.1 per million. In the incidence rates by diagnostic group, we observed many similarities with other countries in East Asia. The age-standardized rates of E, F and AL cities were significantly higher(p<0.05). In the 0-4 age group, F, AL and BB cities showed higher rates(p<0.05). In 5~9 years and 10~14 years, F city only had higher rates(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Further study will be needed in order to investigate possible environmental factors which may account for the regional variations.

• Keywords: Childhood cancer;Incidence;Geographical variation