The prognosis in children with malignant tumors is good, with a five-year survival of 77/80%, which is higher than that achieved in adults.
These promising data are the result of new diagnostic techniques, improvements in treatments, research and care work of pediatricians dedicated to the oncological area, and the control and coordination work carried out by the National Registry of Childhood Tumors (RNTI ). The RNTI performs Survival studies to estimate the effectiveness of care, monitor the progress of the fight against childhood cancer in Spain and the position of our country in the international context, as well as studies of the incidence of childhood cancer in Spain, its geographical distribution and temporal evolution, which contribute to the analysis and knowledge of the causes of childhood cancer.
This way you can know that the most frequent cancer in Spain in children up to 14 years is leukemia (25%), followed by neoplasms of the Central Nervous System (19.6%) and lymphomas (13.6%), and that the average incidence of these tumors in our country is in line with that of the countries around us.
Despite the positive evolution, cancer remains the first cause of death due to illness in children under 14, according to the president of the Spanish Federation of Parents of Children with Cancer, Pilar Ortega.
That is one of the reasons why Spanish pediatricians claim the figure of the pediatric specialist. It is necessary to recognize the specialty of pediatric oncology: This would favor research and care dedication to children and adolescents.
Dr. Acha, from the Society of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology states that 'Every pediatric patient has the right to be assisted in institutions that have the necessary means and by sufficiently qualified health personnel in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, so the follow-up of children suffering from cancer until their full development is another claims of pediatricians'. That is why pediatric care professionals have welcomed the proposed extension to the age of 18 proposed in the Children's Plan.
Currently, About 1,100 tumors are diagnosed in our country every year in children between 0 and 14 years old and our epidemiology corresponds to the European one.
