International variation in overall survival linked to differences in childhood tumor stage distribution for some cancer types and regions
FRIDAY, Feb. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — International variation in population-level overall survival in some childhood cancers is associated with differences in tumor stage distribution, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in JAMA Network Open.
Laura Botta, Ph.D., from the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano in Italy, and colleagues examined whether survival probabilities by tumor stage vary internationally in a retrospective cohort study including incident cases of neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, medulloblastoma, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma of bone, and rhabdomyosarcoma. For each tumor type, three-year overall survival was examined by stage, with between-country comparisons grouped into five predefined European areas.
A total of 9,883 cases were included in the study. The researchers found that three-year overall survival rates were 95, 83, 79, 78, 77, and 75 percent for Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and osteosarcoma, respectively. For neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma, there were geographic variations in age-adjusted overall survival. Differences were no longer significant for neuroblastoma in the United Kingdom and Ireland or for rhabdomyosarcoma in Eastern Europe following additional adjustment for stage, while they became significant for neuroblastoma in Eastern Europe and medulloblastoma in Southern Europe (hazard ratios, 1.36 and 1.42, respectively). There was no mitigation for survival variation for Ewing sarcoma in the United Kingdom and Ireland (hazard ratio, 2.06) and Eastern Europe (hazard ratio, 1.87) or for medulloblastoma in Eastern Europe (hazard ratio, 1.68).
“In some countries, pediatric tumors are diagnosed at more advanced stages compared to a group of European countries with the most consistent practices, while in others, staging procedures do not meet recommended standards — clearly impacting prognosis,” Botta said in a statement.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
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