Childhood cancer mortality in Europe, 1955-1995

Childhood cancer (0-14 years) mortality rates for six cancer sites, includi ng bone, kidney, eye, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, leukaemia s, plus total cancer mortality were computed for subsequent calendar period s from 1955 to 1997, and graphically presented for 16 Western European coun tries, seven Eastern European countries, plus the European Union as a whole . All Western European countries showed substantial declines in mortality f rom leukaemias and from all neoplasms considered from the mid-1960s onwards , for an average fall over 60%, and an estimated total number of approximat ely 4500 avoided deaths per year. Favourable trends were observed also in E astern Europe, but the declines started later (i.e. around the mid-1970s or the late 1980s), and were only approximately 30%. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.