Childhood liver tumors in Argentina: Incidence trend and survival by treatment center. A report from the national pediatric cancer registry, ROHA network 2000-2015

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2020 Nov;67(11):e28583. doi: 10.1002/pbc.28583. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Abstract

Background: Information on the epidemiology of pediatric liver tumors in Latin America is limited.

Purpose: To describe the incidence of liver tumors in a pediatric registry in Argentina according to geographic region, national trends over 16 years, and survival related to stage, age, sex, and care center.

Methods: Newly diagnosed liver tumors cases are registered in the Argentine Pediatric Oncology Hospital Registry (ROHA) with an estimated coverage of 91% of national cases. Age-standardized incidence rate per millon (ASR) was calculated based on the National Vital Statistics Reports. Five-year overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare subgroup survival.

Results: Two hundred seven cases of hepatoblastoma (HB) and 73 of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were identified. ASR of liver tumors was 1.8/million (95% confidence Interval [CI], 1.6-2.0) per year. ASR was 1.4 (1.2-1.6) for HB and 0.4 (0.3-0.5) for HCC. For HB, the highest incidence was found in the northwest region including the Altiplano. OS was 60.4% (53.4-66.8) for HB and 36.1% (25.2-47.2) for HCC. Five-year survival rate of children with metastatic HB treated at liver transplant hospitals (LTH) was 54.2% (30.3-73.0) compared to 13.3% (2.2-34.6) for those seen at other hospitals (OH) (P = .02), while for HCC this rate was 46.3% (30.7-60.6) at LTH compared to 17.5% (3.1-41.9) at OH (P = .01).

Conclusions: The incidence rate of pediatric liver tumors was stable over the 16-year study period. Patients may benefit if at treatment initiation they are evaluated jointly with LTH specialists to define treatment strategies.

Keywords: hepatoblastoma; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver tumors; survival; treatment center.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Argentina / epidemiology
  • Cancer Care Facilities / statistics & numerical data*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / epidemiology*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / mortality*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / therapy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Liver Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Mortality / trends*
  • Prognosis
  • Registries / statistics & numerical data*
  • Survival Rate