In a recent study published by Lancet, it was revealed that 82% of childhood cancer cases are found in poorer, low-to-middle income countries. The data underscores the stark divide in healthcare quality and outcomes based on socioeconomic factors. This study highlights the disparity between the survival rates among children in high-income and low-to-middle income countries, with the latter four times more likely to perish from cancer.
Childhood Cancer and Global Burden
The study by Lancet leverages an important metric – Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) – to illustrate the global burden of paediatric cancer. DALYs represent the number of healthy years lost due to a disease. In 2017 alone, the global tally of DALYs lost due to childhood cancer was estimated to be around 11.5 million. This alarming number underscores the significant toll paediatric cancer takes on these young lives and their home countries’ overall health profiles.
Childhood Cancer Rates: India versus the West
When comparing incidence rates of paediatric cancer between India and Western countries, the numbers skew lower for the former. The rate of cancer among Indian children stands at 80-90 cases per 100,000, compared to the corresponding figure of 160 cases per 100,000 in Western countries.
Despite these lower incidence rates, several medical institutions in India – the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, Delhi), Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai), and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI-Chandigarh) – boast cancer survival rates on par with Western countries.
| Hospital | Location | Cancer Survival Rate |
|---|---|---|
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences | Delhi, India | Comparable to Western countries |
| Tata Memorial Hospital | Mumbai, India | Comparable to Western countries |
| Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research | Chandigarh, India | Comparable to Western countries |
Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer
In response to the global paediatric cancer crisis, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched an initiative in 2018. Named the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, the program aims to achieve a minimum 60% survival rate for children diagnosed with cancer by 2030. If achieved, this target would effectively double the current global cure rate for paediatric cancer, saving an approximate additional one million lives.
