CHILDHOOD NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA IN THE 5 NORDIC COUNTRIES - A 5-YEAR POPULATION-BASED STUDY FROM THE NORDIC SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGYAND ONCOLOGY

Purpose: The comparable health-care organizations and common Cancer Re gistry for childhood malignancies in the five Nordic countries offered an opportunity to conduct an epidemiological study on a reasonable nu mber of childhood non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cases collected in a po pulation-based manner. Material and Methods: All childhood cases (0-14 .9 years at diagnosis) reported during the 5-year period of 1985-1989 to the Nordic Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (NOPHO) Can cer Registry for childhood malignancies were reviewed and analyzed acc ording to age, Murphy's stage, gender, site, and survival. Results: Th e annual incidence of NHL is 0.7 per 100,000 children in the five Nord ic countries, constituting 5% of all childhood malignancies. Age distr ibution was even; the male/female ratio was 3:1. Age and stage were sh own by Cox regression analysis to be independent prognostic factors. O lder age and lower stage affected outcome favorably. The stage and sit e distribution was similar to previous reports. Survival data were in accordance with those expected with modern treatment protocols. Conclu sions: The incidence and relative frequency of NHL in childhood in the five Nordic countries is in agreement with previously reported data, but the even distribution of cases throughout childhood is a new findi ng. Older age at onset and stage of disease affect outcome favorably, whereas male gender contrary to acute lymphoblastic leukemia was not f ound to affect outcome.