JCO Glob Oncol. 2025 Jun;11:e2400541. doi: 10.1200/GO-24-00541. Epub 2025 Jun 11.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study estimated the childhood cancer incidence in Zimbabwe between January 2015 and December 2021.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data collected from Zimbabwe’s KidzCan database and patient files included demographic data (sex, date of birth, age at diagnosis, and geographic home region), cancer diagnosis, and orphanhood. The age-specific incidence rate per million population at risk for children age 0-14 and 0-19 years was calculated using the United Nations Statistics Division population estimates for Zimbabwe in 2021, with estimates for 0-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-14 years, and 15-19 years age groups.
RESULTS: A total of 1,090 cases were identified, of which 1,024 were analyzed; 66 were excluded because of missing data. The median age was 4 years (range, 0-17 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1. More than half (54.2%; 555) were between age 0 and 4 years. Most patients had solid tumors (70.4%). The study’s age-specific rates were 161.76/million population at risk for the 0-14 years age group compared with the reported International Incidence of Childhood Cancer-3 data for Zimbabwe (1993-2013) of 126.3/million, whereas it was 132.75/million population at risk for the 0-19 years age group. The most common cancers were nephroblastoma (22.1%), acute leukemia (21%), and retinoblastoma (15%).
CONCLUSION: This study provides crucial incidence data regarding childhood cancer in Zimbabwe, which may assist in policy planning to achieve the 2030 WHO goal of a 60% cure rate. These results indicate the crucial role of civil society organizations such as KidzCan in assisting the Zimbabwe government in managing childhood cancer.
PMID:40499053 | DOI:10.1200/GO-24-00541
