Treatment results in childhood cancer between 1996-1999 in a Cancer
Center in Romania -- A transition period
Abstract
Background: Improved diagnostic and treatment methods in childhood
cancer determined a significant increase in survival in the last
decades. However, despite these important progresses, there is still a
significant difference in survival between developed countries compared
to developing and underdeveloped countries. For more insight into these
differences we studied treatment results of the Paediatric Department of
the Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuta” from Romania
between 1996-1999. Design/Methods: We included 202 patients under the
age of 18, diagnosed and treated for malignant tumours in our
Department. Data about diagnosis, treatment, acute toxicities, treatment
response, relapse (date, treatment, response), second cancer were
extracted from patient files. Survival curves were calculated with the
Kaplan Meier method. Results: From the 202 patients included in our
study 41.6% (84) were diagnosed with malignant blood disorders and
58.4% (118) with solid tumours. After completing the primary treatment,
146 patients (72.3%) showed complete response, 14 patients (6.9%)
showed partial response, 6 patients (3%) showed stable disease, and 36
patients (17.8%) showed progressive disease. The median follow-up was
245.9 months (20.5 years). OS at 20 years was 58% for the entire
studied group (CI: 51-64%), while DFS was 53% (CI: 46-60%). The
second neoplasia was diagnosed in 3 patients (1.48%) of the studied
group. Conclusion: Access to treatment and application of current
therapeutic protocols has a major impact on survival in paediatric
oncology. Our results show promise, however they were lower than in
developed countries in the same period of time.