Childhood cancer survival in Finland (1953-2010): a nation-wide population-based study

Population based survival studies are critical in monitoring changes in anticancer therapy, evaluating effectiveness of new treatments as well as identifying possibilities for further improvement. The previous report on cancer survival in Finland covered patients diagnosed in 1953-1995. Data on survival in the European and Nordic pediatric populations have been published with follow-up ending in 2002. We describe population-based survival of childhood cancer patients (n = 8270, age 0-14 years) in Finland overall and by disease category with follow-up extending from 1953 to 2010 and focusing on the modern treatment era. Data were collected from the Finnish Cancer Registry. Age-standardised observed survival proportions (rates) were calculated using the actuarial (or life-table) method. Trends in observed survival rates were studied over six diagnostic periods: 1953-1960, 1961-1970, 1971-1980, 1981-1990, 1991-2000 and 2001-2010. The overall 5-year survival reached 82.1% (95% CI 80.0-84.2) in the most recent period. In most diagnostic categories, the biggest leap in survival was seen between 1961-1970 and 1981-1990, after which slight improvements occurred between 1981-1990 and 1991-2000, with no significant increase thereafter. In analyses by diagnostic group, positive trends in survival over the last three decades were seen for leukemia (p = 0.000), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (p = 0.002) and CNS tumours (p = 0.02). Although survival of childhood cancer patients overall has significantly improved from 1953 to 2000, improvement thereafter has been marginal. Future treatment efforts should be directed at bone tumours, soft-tissue sarcoma, neuroblastoma and malignant brain tumours as well as high-risk leukemia.