CHILDHOOD CANCERS IN THE AUVERGNE AREA (1 986-1991)

Background. - The specificity of childhood cancers led to the creation of regional childhood cancer registries, An epidemiological study of childhood cancers in the Auvergne area was carried out over a 6 year-p eriod (1986-1991) in order to create a registry. Population and method s. - The population of our study was 252,820 children (0-15 years old) , living in the Auvergne region, All malignant neoplasms were included together with brain rumours (whatever grading). Data were collected f rom medical and administrative sources. Results. - The data of 153 cas es were collected during this period. World age standardized overall i ncidence rate was 120.5 cases/milion/year. Age standardized incidence rates were: leukemias 37.6 (ALL 28.01), central nervous system tumours 18.34 (medulloblastomas 4.6, astrocytomas 4.6, ependymomas 3.8), lymp homas 10.0, neuroblastomas 18.6, soft tissue tumors 8.3, bone tumours 6.1 (Ewing's sarcomas 4.1, osteosarcomas 2.0), nephroblastomas 5.5, re tinoblastomas 3.1, liver tumours 0.5 and others 0.5. Conclusions. - Ou r data base in the Auvergne area might be a source of information for epidemiological studies on the role of etiological factors, the surviv al, the sequelae and the incidence trends.