CDC Finds Brain, Liver and Thyroid Cancers Increasing Among US Children 2001-2014

The CDC presented new findings of increasing brain,  renal, hepatic, and thyroid cancers among individuals under 20 years old in the USA after analyzing 2001–2014 data from 48 states covering 98% of the US population.  These findings were presented at the 2018 American Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Conference in May, 2018 and at the 67th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference April 16–19, 2018.

See selected excerpts from the presentations. 

 2018 American Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Conference Paper

INCIDENCE RATES AND TRENDS OF PEDIATRIC CANCER — UNITED STATES, 2001–2014

David Siegel, Jun Li, S. Jane Henley, Reda Wilson, Natasha Buchanan Lunsford, Eric Tai, Elizabeth Van Dyne

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

“Results: We identified 196,200 cases of pediatric cancer during 2001–2014. The overall cancer incidence rate was 173.0 per 1 million; incidence rates were highest for leukemia (45.6), brain tumors (30.8), and lymphoma (26.0). Rates were highest among males, aged 0–4 years, nonHispanic whites, the Northeast US Census region, the top 25% of counties by economic status, and metropolitan counties. The overall pediatric cancer incidence rate increased (AAPC=0.7, 95% CI, 0.5–0.8) during 2001–2014 and contained no joinpoints.

Rates increased in each stratum of sex, age, race/ethnicity (except non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native), region, economic status, and rural/urban classification. Rates were stable for most individual cancer types, but increased for non-Hodgkin lymphomas except Burkitt lymphoma (ICCC group II(b), AAPC=1.2, 95% CI, 0.4–2.0), central nervous system neoplasms (group III, AAPC=0.4, 95% 260 CI, 0.1–0.8), renal tumors (group VI, AAPC=0.6, 95% CI, 0.1–1.1), hepatic tumors (group VII, AAPC=2.5, 95% CI, 1.0–4.0), and thyroid carcinomas (group XI(b), AAPC=4.8, 95% CI, 4.2– 5.5). Rates of malignant melanoma decreased (group XI(d), AAPC=-2.6, 95% CI, -4.7– -0.4). “

67th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference April 16–19, 2018

Incidence Rates and Trends of Pediatric Cancer — United States, 2001–2014

David Siegel, J. Li, S.J. Henley, R. Wilson, N. Buchanan Lunsford, E. Tai, E.A. Van Dyne

“The overall pediatric cancer incidence rate increased (AAPC=0.7, 95% CI, 0.5–0.8) during 2001–2014 and contained no joinpoints. Rates increased across sex, age, race/ethnicity, region, economic status, and rural/urban status.

Rates of brain, renal, hepatic, and thyroid cancers increased, and rates of melanoma decreased.

Conclusions: This study documents increased rates of pediatric cancer during 2001–2014. Increased overall rates of brain and hepatic cancer and decreased rates of melanoma are novel findings using data since 2010. Next steps in addressing changing rates could include investigation of diagnostic and reporting standards, host biologic factors, or environmental exposures.”

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