Variations on leukemia survival by place of residence

January 01, 0001

Variations on leukemia survival by place of residence

It is not known whether improvements in cancer survival over recent decades have benefited children from different geographic locations equally. This is the first study to produce national survival estimates for childhood cancer in Australia by remoteness of residence and area- based socioeconomic status. The study, by researchers from Australia and the UK, utilized population-based data from the Australian Paediatric Cancer Registry for children diagnosed with cancer from 1996 onward who were at risk of mortality between January 2001 and December 2006 (n = 6,289).

Overall, children with cancer from remote/very remote areas had a significantly lower survival rate than their counterparts in major cities (HR = 1.55). Survival was also lower for children with leukemia living in inner regional (HR = 1.52) or outer regional areas (HR = 1.53). There was weak evidence of a trend toward poorer survival by greater area disadvantage for all childhood cancers.

The researchers concluded: "Some variation in prognosis by place of residence was present for children with cancer in Australia, particularly among leukemia patients." 

One of the great interventions of medicine not being equally realised.

For the full abstract, click here.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 20(6):1649, August 2011 © 2011 American Association for Cancer Research
Differentials in Survival for Childhood Cancer in Australia by Remoteness of Residence and Area Disadvantage . Danny R. Youlden, Peter D. Baade, Patricia C. Valery et al. Correspondence to Danny Youlden: [email protected]

Category: B. Blood/Blood Forming Organs/Immune Mechanisms, HSR. Health Keywords: differentials, survival, childhood, cancer, remotness, residence, area, disadvantage, Australia, population-based data, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by , Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 26 August 2011

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