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. 2022 Jan;11(1):245-256.
doi: 10.1002/cam4.4429. Epub 2021 Nov 19.

Incidence and survival of childhood central nervous system tumors in Denmark, 1997-2019

Anne Sophie Lind Helligsoe  1   2 , Line Kenborg  3 , Louise Tram Henriksen  1   2 , Aparna Udupi  4 , Henrik Hasle  1 , Jeanette Falck Winther  2   3
Affiliations

Incidence and survival of childhood central nervous system tumors in Denmark, 1997-2019

Anne Sophie Lind Helligsoe et al. Cancer Med. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Incidence rates in Denmark of central nervous system (CNS) tumors remain among the highest in the world. Survival rates, however, have improved in the past decades in high-income countries.

Methods: We analyzed incidence and survival of childhood CNS tumors in Denmark diagnosed from 1997 to 2019 based on data from the Danish Childhood Cancer Registry and information on histological types, tumor localization, and treatment from medical records.

Results: From 1997 to 2019, 949 children<15 years were diagnosed with a CNS tumor. Age-standardized incidence was 42.1 (95% CI, 39.4-44.6) per million person-years and stable during this period. Age-specific incidence for children aged 0-4 years was 47.7 per million. More than one-third (n = 374, 39.4%) were treated with surgery alone. Overall survival rates 5 and 10 years after diagnosis were 77.6% (95% CI, 74.7-80.2) and 74.7% (95% CI, 71.7-77.5). Five-year overall survival improved from 73.0% (95% CI, 68.9-76.7) in 1997-2008 to 83.2% (95% CI, 79.2-86.4) in 2009-2019 (p-value < 0.0001) in children aged 0-4 years (p = 0.0006).

Conclusion: Incidence rates are stable but remain among the highest in the world. Despite improved survival rates in recent years in younger children, some subtypes still have a poor prognosis.

Keywords: central nervous system tumor; childhood cancer; childhood cancer survivors; incidence; survival.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Age‐standardized incidence rates (dots) with a smoothing spline with 95% CI (grey lines) of childhood CNS tumors in Denmark diagnosed from 1997–2019 in children aged 0–14 years including all subgroups as classified as CNS in ICCC‐3
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Survival of CNS tumors in Denmark in children 0–14 years old. (A) Overall survival from 1997–2019 (B) Survival in children diagnosed from 1997–2008 compared with 2009–2019 (p < 0.0001) (C) Survival in children aged 0–4 years diagnosed in 1997–2008 or 2009–2019 (p = 0.0006) (D) Survival in children aged 5–14 years diagnosed in 1997–2008 or 2008–2019 (p = 0.16)
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