Curability of cancer in children

The case records of 173 patients treated for cancer during childhood, free of disease at least 5 years later and free of disease in 1967 were reviewed. There were 84 boys and 89 girls. Tumor types were lymphomas, including one acute leukemia, sarcomas of the bone and soft parts, Wilms' tumor, neuroblastoma and carcinomas. Among the long survivors there were clusters in the less than 1-year age group and more than twelve years. Although many of the children were well adjusted in later life, others developed emotional problems. Cancer detection in a well child population for the tumors characteristically seen in the different age groups is the responsibility of the parents and physicians rendering health supervision to the children.