Survival rates for childhood malignancies in Slovakia

Survival rates (SR) for population-based series of 1564 cases of cancer in children aged 0-14, diagnosed during the decade 1978-1987 in Slovakia and derived from the National Cancer Registry, were examined. The overall 5-year SR (all types of childhood malignancies combined) was 49.8%. Different SR were ascertained for leukemias -43.8%, lymphomas -59.1%, CNS tumors -42.7% and for other remaining diagnostic groups and subgroups of childhood malignancies. Generally, the SR were slightly better for girls than for boys. Cancer patients being diagnosed during the first two years of age showed worse prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of 36.8% as compared to 52.6% for children aged 2-14 at diagnosis. Differences in 5-year survival were also found between urban and rural areas: 56.8% and 48.8%, respectively. The 5-year SR increased during the study period from 48.5% for 1978-1982 to 50.0% for 1983-1987. Comparison of SR from Slovakia with the corresponding rates observed recently in some developed countries indicated possibilities to improve prognosis of childhood malignancies in this country.