Incidence rates and trends of paediatric cancer in Italy, 2008-2017

Paediatric cancers are rare, yet, Italy has previously shown some of the highest incidence rates in Europe as a leading cause of death in children and adolescents. This study updates data from Italy for 2008-2017, analyses trends from 1998, and compares findings with other European regions.

A population-based approach was used, leveraging data from the Italian Association of Cancer Registries (AIRTUM). Thirty-one cancer registries covering 77 % of the Italian paediatric population contributed data on tumour type, age, sex, residence, and diagnosis date. Cancers were classified using the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, Third Edition (ICCC-3). Age-specific (IR) and age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) were computed, while trends were analysed with Joinpoint regression to estimate annual (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC).

From 2008-2017, 17,322 malignant paediatric cancer cases were reported in Italy. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) was 166.8 per million for ages 0-14 and 294.3 per million for adolescents 15-19. Over the study period, incidence rates were generally stable, but a significant increase was observed for bone tumours in children and thyroid and melanoma in adolescents. Central Italy showed higher incidence rates compared to other Italian regions. Italy still shows one of the highest incidence rates in Europe.

While the study confirms overall stable incidence trends in Italy, it also highlights an increase in specific cancers such as melanoma and thyroid tumours in adolescents. Central Italy exhibited higher incidence rates, potentially due to environmental and/or diagnostic factors. Continuous monitoring and further research are needed to clarify regional variations and evaluate the impact of early diagnosis and environmental exposures.