Trend in cancer incidence and mortality among children and adolescents in Mato Grosso, 2001-2018.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the temporal trend of cancer incidence and mortality among children and adolescents residing in Mato Grosso during the period 2001-2018.

Methods: This was a time series study of cancer incidence and mortality rates among children and adolescents aged 0-19 years residing in Mato Grosso. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate the annual percentage changes (APC) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results: A total of 1,915 new cases and 796 deaths were recorded, with leukemias being the most common (30.23% of cases and 34.92% of deaths) for the 15-19 age group (28.25% of cases and 30.78% of deaths), among individuals of Brown race/skin color (45.17% of cases and 50.75% of deaths), and males (53.89% of cases and 56.53% of deaths). Incidence rates showed a decreasing trend for leukemias between 2001 and 2010 (APC -5.5%; 95%CI -8.3; -2.6) and soft tissue sarcomas (APC -7.3%; 95%CI -10.6; -3.8) during the period 2001-2018, as well as for all causes between 2001 and 2016 (APC -1.1%; 95%CI -2.0; -0.2). Mortality rates remained stable throughout the period and for all types of cancer.

Conclusion: Although stable, the rates in Mato Grosso are high, which calls for strategies to promote access to early diagnosis and timely, appropriate treatment, such as expanding the network of specialized services, improving the quality of these services, and updating the data.