U.S. childhood cancer deaths by cell type, 1960-68

Abstract

Study of the patterns of deaths in 16 childhood neoplasms, according to age, sex, and race, revealed contrasts or similarities of etiologic importance. Eight neoplasms had early peaks, suggesting that their origins were largely prenatal. Two (teratoma and rhabdomyosarcoma) had organ-specific second peaks in adolescence. Deaths from bone tumors increased gradually with age, suggesting a relation to growth. The three major categories of lymphoma each had dissimilar epidemiologic patterns indicative, perhaps, of dissimilar origins. The same was true for four categories of brain tumors. The most marked sex differential was noted in relation to lymphosarcoma, for which the sex ratio (MIF) was about 3:1. Nonwhites displayed a seeming resistance to Ewing's sarcoma and acute lymphocytic leukemia, but a much heightened death rate, as compared with whites, from retinoblastoma.