Incidence Rate of Top Ten Cancers among Children 0-14 Year in Iraq 2023

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Introduction

Although there is little recent data, the incidence of childhood cancer has steadily increased over the past few decades. In Iraq, childhood cancer is a serious health concern. Leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, Wilms tumor, and retinoblastoma are the most common types [1].

One of the main causes of disease-related deaths after infancy is childhood cancer. Leukemia is the most common cancer in developed nations, followed by brain tumors and lymphomas; in developing nations, nephronblastoma and lymphomas are more common. This study looks into the trends in Iraq's Kurdistan Region [2]. In Iraq, leukemia accounts for 33% of all childhood cancers, making it the most prevalent type. Leukemia, Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), central nervous system neoplasms, non-NHL, renal tumors, bone tumors, eye (retinoblastomas), soft tissue tumors, adrenal gland tumors, and testicular and ovarian tumors are the top ten childhood cancers [3]. Based on the early stated evidence, the present study has attempted to determine the incidence rate of the top ten cancers among children 0-14 year in Iraq 2022.

Methodology

A descriptive, prospective, design is carried throughout the present study to determine the incidence rate of top ten cancers among children 0-14 in Iraq 2023. Convenient sample of (1922) child is included in the study. Such sample is recruited from the records of the Iraqi Council of Cancer Registry Center at the Ministry of Health in Iraq. Incidence rate is computed for each cancer and the children demographic characteristics are gathered through the use of demographic data sheet that include age and gender of each child.

Results

Table 1: Frequency and Percentage of Top Ten Cancers among Children 0-14 Year in Iraq 2023 Site Frequency Percentage Leukemia 551 28.7 Brain, CNS 405 21.1 Hodgkin Lymphomas 145 7.5 Bone and cartilage, limbs, Other 131 6.8 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 127 6.6 Kidney 109 5.7 Adrenal Gland 72 3.7 Soft Tissues 66 3.4 Eye and Adnexa 64 3.3 Liver 34 1.8 Total Top Ten 1,704 88.7 Total Other Sites 218 11.3 Total All Sites 1,922 100 Results, out of this table, depict that leukemia is accounted as the most among top ten cancers among children 0-14 year in Iraq for the year of 2023, Top ten cancers are accounted for the majority of cancers among children in Iraq for the same year (887%).

Table 4: Incidence Rate of Top Ten Cancers among Children 0-14 Year in Iraq 2023 Site Percentage (%) Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 0.9 Bone, Cartilage, Limbs and Others 0.8 Kidney 0.5 Soft Tissues 0.5 Eye and Adnexa 0.4 Adrenal Gland 0.4 Unspecified Site 0.2 Results, out of this table, depict that leukemia is accounted for having higher incidence rate among the top ten cancers in children 0-14 year in Iraq for the year of 2023.

Table 5: Distribution of Top Ten Cancers in Children 0-14 year by Governorates, Iraq, 2023 Governorate Incidence Rate Al-Muthana 17.1 Al-Sulaimaniyah 14.7 Erbil 13 Babylon 6.5 Results, out of this table, show that Al-Muthana governorate reports the highest incidence rate of cancers in children (17.1/100,000) which is followed by Al-Sulaimaniyah (14.7/100,000) and Erbil (13/100,000) while Babylon reports the lowest incidence rate (6.5/100,000).

Discussion

A total of 1922 cancer cases were diagnosed among children aged between 0 and 14 accounting for 4.5% of the total number of cancers reported to the Iraqi cancer registry in 2023. The crude incidence rate was 11/100,000, The reported incidents show that cancer was more common among boys than girls, 1062 (55.3%) cases were reported among boys, with crude incidence rate 11.8/100,000 and 860 (44.7%) cases were reported among girls, with crude incidence rate 10.1 /100,000. Al-Muthana governorate reported the highest incidence rate of cancers in children 17.1/100,000 followed by Al-Sulaimaniyah 14.7/100,000 and Erbil 13/100,000 while Babil reported the lowest incidence rate 6.5/100,000. Throughout the course of data analysis, findings of the present study indicate that children of (0-14) year old in Iraq have developed leukemia as being accounted as one of the top ten cancer with high incidence rates with respect to their age groups and gender as males than females in the year of 2022.

An epidemiological, cross-sectional study that attempts to determine the five most prevalent cancers in Kurdistan among children under ten and analyze their incidence in order to promote additional research and assistance for impacted children examines supporting evidence. According to the study, leukemia accounts for 34% of the cases, making it the most common cancer. Complex mixed and stromal neoplasms come in at 13%, lymphomas at 13%, neuroepitheliomatous neoplasms at 11%, and gliomas at 7%. 163 female cases and 210 male cases are reported [2]. Another epidemiological study conducted to identify the most prevalent cancer among children in Basra, Iraq, finds additional supporting evidence. The study includes 143 children in total. The results show that the most prevalent cancer in these kids is leukemia [4].

The Iraqi Cancer Registry's Annual Report for 2020 states that 1,740 out of 31,692 cases of cancer in children aged 0 to 14 account for 5 point 49 percent of all cancer cases across all age groups, with an incidence rate of 11 point 46 per 100,000 children aged 0 to 14. The highest incidence of the top ten cancers, according to age group, is found in children aged 0–10 years (12–13/100,000). Leukemia has the highest incidence of cancer in children (3 out of 60 per 100,000 children aged 0 to 14) [5].

According to the Ministry of Health in Iraq, the top 10 childhood cancers for males are leukemia, Hodgkin lymphomas, central nervous system neoplasms, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, renal tumors, bone tumors and Eye (retinoblastomas), soft tissues tumors, and adrenal gland tumors. Meanwhile, the top 10 childhood cancers for females are leukemia, central nervous system neoplasms, Hodgkin lymphomas, renal tumors, bone tumors and Eye (retinoblastomas), soft tissues tumors, adrenal gland tumors, and ovarian tumors [3].

According to an exploratory study, the age-standardized incidence rates for both genders, aged 0–14, from 2000–2019 are 3.45/100,000. In Iraq, the incidence rate of childhood leukemia has been steadily rising for both sexes [6].

Conclusion

Based on the discussion of such review, the study concludes that: he incidence rate of the top ten cancers among children 0-14 year in Iraq 2023 is increasing. Leukemia is accounted to have higher incidence rate among the top ten childhood cancers in Iraq 2023.

Recommendations

With respect to the study conclusion, the study recommends that: Early detection of childhood cancer, in turn, can play an important role in its prevention. The existing research findings will be beneficial for future screening studies for childhood cancer. The increasing trend of leukemia requires further epidemiological studies to describe incidence by geography in Iraq. Further research, in this area, is essential for understanding the causes underlying these trends and their impact more thoroughly.