Pediatric cancer: epidemiologic profile of attended children in a reference center in the state of Para

Abstract

Aim: To describe the epidemiological findings of children diagnosed with cancer in a referral center.

Material and Methods: Daily at Ophir Loyola Hospital visits were made - Belém / PA, in clinical pediatric oncology sector, from December 2013 to June 2014. The sample comprised 46 children 2-12 years, diagnosed with cancer, which was already or would begin anticancer treatment. A questionnaire containing questions about family, socioeconomic and environmental aspects was applied..

Results: The most frequent neoplasia LLA was followed by nephroblastoma, neuroblastoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and osteosarcoma. The genre most affected by childhood cancer was male. The age group with the predominant prevalence were children aged 8-12 years. By observing the religious belief that it was possible to detect most practiced Catholicism. The practice of sports is not part of the daily lives of these children. The origin of these families had dominated for deriving from the state. As the rating distribution of households according to the Economic Classification Criterion Brazil, the two classes were most frequently C2 and D. 

Conclusions: We sought, in this article, to demonstrate the epidemiological profile of children seen at a referral center in the state of Para. Research like this, identifying population groups at highest risk or with more unfavorable prognosis, provide health authorities and researchers in the area of cancer with an important instrument in the definition of health necessary for proper control and prevention of the disease.