CHILDHOOD-CANCER INCIDENCE IN AUSTRALIA, 1982-1991

The data of the Australian Paediatric Cancer Registry on childhood can cer incidence in Australia for the 10-year period 1982-1991 are presen ted. The crude average annual incidence of cancer in children under th e age of 15 years was 13.8 per 100,000. The incidence of childhood can cer in Australia is rising. Significant increases were seen in acute n on-lymphoblastic leukaemia, astrocytoma and melanoma. The age-standard ised incidence of 14.4 per 100,000 is about 34% higher than in the UK. Most types of cancer had a higher incidence in Australia than in the UK, and the difference was significant for acute lymphoblastic leukaem ia, astrocytoma and melanoma. Of particular interest is malignant mela noma, whose incidence in Australia is more than 5 times that in the UK , as a result of excessive UV exposure. Australia has a higher inciden ce of Ewing's tumour than osteosarcoma, nearly twice that of the UK. I nternational comparative studies may help to elucidate the aetiology o f these tumours. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.