PATTERNS AND TEMPORAL TRENDS IN THE INCIDENCE OF MALIGNANT DISEASE INCHILDREN .2. SOLID TUMORS OF CHILDHOOD

Incidence patterns and trends, in children, of individual types of non -reticulo-endothelial solid tumours and of all cancers combined (inclu ding leukaemia and lymphoma) were analysed. The study included 3360 ca ses diagnosed in residents under 15 years of age of the North Western Regional Health Authority area of England during 1954-1988. Log-linear modelling identified significant increases of juvenile astrocytoma (a verage quinquennial increase 15%) in males, of medulloblastoma (19%) a nd neuroblastoma (17%) in females, and of non-skin epithelial tumours (18%) overall, and a significant decrease of unspecified malignant neo plasms around 1974 by approximately 80%. The chi(2) trend test identif ied significant increases in gonadal germ cell tumours and skin cancer s, and borderline significant increases in craniopharyngioma and hepat oblastoma. The incidence of all cancers combined increased significant ly in those aged under 1 year (8%), 1-4 years (5%) and 10-14 years (8% ). Age-sex patterns were similar to those in other Caucasian populatio ns. Studies of incidence trends can provide the basis for investigatio ns of the aetiology of childhood cancers.