Advances in pediatric oncology- a five-year nationwide survival follow-up at children’s cancer hospital in Egypt
Advances in pediatric oncology- a five-year nationwide survival follow-up at children’s cancer hospital in Egypt

Summary/Abstract: Background: Childhood cancers survival rates in Egypt are appreciated to less than 30 percent while the treatment options are stagnant in progress and the reasons behind are undisclosed. The Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt has adopted the Western treatment protocols since 2007, which gives new means to improve cancer survival and care. Methods: This study was designed to investigate possible predictors of mortality to childhood cancers. We administered two questionnaires, one at the start of chemotherapy and one at the third chemotherapy cycle, to 304 parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer. The five-year survival rate was estimated Results: Among the 304 children diagnosed with cancer at the Children’s Cancer Hospital, 274 children were followed up five years after data collection. We found that 58 percent (n=176) had survived while 10 percent were lost to follow-up. The only statistically significant difference found between the group that survived and the group that did not survive in relation to numerous psychosocial and demographic factors was mother’s level of education with a p-value 0.02. Conclusion: The observed survival rate of the children in our group is 58 percent, with an addition of 10 percent lost to follow-up. An increase in childhood cancer survival is clearly noted compared to official statistics for earlier years. The only predictor for survival in our study group was higher education level among mothers.

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