INCIDENCE OF CHILDHOOD-CANCER IN OSAKA, JAPAN, 1971-1988 - RECLASSIFICATION OF REGISTERED CASES BY BIRCHS SCHEME USING INFORMATION ON CLINICAL-DIAGNOSIS, HISTOLOGY AND PRIMARY SITE

In 1971-1988, 4,021 malignant tumors occurring among children under 15 years of age were registered in the Osaka Cancer Registry, a populati on-based registry which covers Osaka Prefecture, Japan. These patients were reclassified into 12 diagnostic groups by Birch's scheme using i nformation on clinical diagnosis, histology and primary site. The annu al age-standardized incidence rate for childhood cancer per million ch ildren was 130.3 for males and 104.9 for females in 1971-88. Comparing the incidence rates for both sexes in 1981-88 with those in 1971-80 i n Osaka, we observed a significant decrease of acute non-lymphocytic l eukemia (ANLL) and a significant increase of all cancers, acute lympho cytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, sympathetic nervous system tumor s, soft-tissue sarcomas, and gonadal and germ-cell tumors. Age-standar dized incidence rates in around 1971-80 of the above-mentioned diagnos tic groups were compared among 4 population-based registries; Osaka, M iyagi (Japan), SEER (U.S.), and the National Registry of Childhood Tum ors (England and Wales). Rates for ANLL and gonadal and germ-cell tumo rs were higher and those for other diagnostic groups were lower in Osa ka, especially for Hodgkin's disease. Thus, in 1980-88 in Osaka, rates for Hodgkin's disease remained low and rates for gonadal and germ-cel l tumors increased, though rates for other cancers appeared to resembl e the levels in caucasian populations. The incidence of childhood canc er in Japan was estimated according to the diagnostic groups in Birch' s scheme.