LEUKEMIAS IN OVERALL CANCER MORBIDITY IN CHILDREN OF RUSSIAN-FEDERATION - TRENDS, COMPARISON WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, CRITICAL-REVIEW

Statistical reports on cancer incidence rates and incidence of acute l eukemia in children from the USA and Germany, statistical data and tho se of simultaneous retrospective epidemiological study in 10 regions o f Russian Federation (RF) demonstrate a slow rise in overall cancer in cidence but stable acute leukemia morbidity. Acute leukemia accounts f or 30.6-32.8% of overall cancer cases in RF children. For 10 regions o f RF in 1994 mean overall cancer and acute leukemia morbidities were c omparable and made up 7.7 and 2.74 pet 100000, respectively. The autho rs hold that such figures for RF are too row to reflect real situation and attribute this underestimation to neglect of new-onset cancer cas es the occurrence of which reaches 30-50%. Statistical registration of cancer cases in children should be updated to meet current internatio nal criteria.