Cancer incidence among children in France, 1990-1999

Cancer is the second most important cause of death for children aged less than 15 years in France, unintentional injuries being the leading cause. The aim of the present study was to estimate the incidence of childhood cancer from six Childhood Cancer Registries covering 32% of France.

Incident cancer cases diagnosed between 1990 and 1999 in children (0-14 years) resident in the administrative areas covered by each Registry were included. Annual age-standardized rates (ASRs) were adjusted by the world population. The estimated annual percent change (EAPC) was used to measure trend towards changes in the annual age-standardized incidence rate.

With 4234 registered cases, the ASRs per million children were 137.5 for all cancers combined, 42.3 for leukemia, 29.1 for central-nervous-system tumors, 15.6 for lymphomas, 14.1 for sympathetic-nervous-system tumors, and 9.1 for renal tumors. The ASR of all cancers combined was slightly higher in males (145.8 per million children) than in females (128.7 per million children) with an M/F ratio of 1.2. No significant incidence trend was observed, with an EAPC of +0.2% [IC 95% (-2.5; +3.0); P = 0.89].

The estimated incidence rates are similar to those reported in previous studies in European and North American countries. These results will contribute to the development of National Registration of Childhood Cancer in France and support the national research program on childhood cancer.