[Descriptive epidemiology of cancers in children]

According to the Vital Statistics of Japan, the age-adjusted mortality rate for cancers in children has decreased almost 0.7 times between 1969 and 1986. The decrease was pronounced in cancers of the ovary, testis, stomach, nose & ear and leukemia, and in the age group under 5. Rises in the mean age at death were also observed. From international comparison, Japanese children had a relatively low mortality rate for cancers except leukemia. The international comparison of cancer of incidence suggested that some of risk factors for adult cancers were also involved in the etiology of cancers in children.