A new report led by the state Department of Public Health provides a comprehensive look at the burden of childhood cancer in the Palmetto State over the past 25 years. University of South Carolina health science researchers played a critical role in developing the report; additional partners include the South Carolina Children’s Hospital Collaborative and the South Carolina Cancer Alliance.
Background: An estimated 11,000 children 14 and younger and 5,800 adolescents age 15 to 19 will be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year. While South Carolina has produced reports on adult cancer in the past, there has never been a statewide childhood cancer report.
World-class experts: Chaired by School of Medicine Columbia clinical professor and Prisma pediatric oncologist, Dr. Anna Hoppmann, the Childhood Cancer Taskforce was formed with experts from across the state. Seven faculty members from the Arnold School of Public Health, the School of Medicine Columbia and the School of Medicine Greenville, as well as five USC alumni, contributed their expertise to the project.
South Carolina impact: The report, which will be updated every five years, identifies many favorable trends for childhood cancer statewide, including an 11 percent improvement in childhood cancer survival and a 21 percent decrease in mortality over the 25-year study period.
What’s next: The report highlights three key areas for attention: ongoing racial/ethnic disparities in childhood cancer survival, the increasing number of childhood cancer survivors needing long-term care, and the rising incidence of childhood lymphoma and leukemia. By examining these trends, researchers and clinicians can engage in important discussions, planning and advocacy to improve outcomes for childhood cancer patients and their families in the future.
What she’s saying: “The state collaboration was truly inspiring,” says Dr. Anna Hoppmann. “This is what happens when leaders in public health, pediatric oncology and epidemiology put their heads together to understand and help South Carolina children facing cancer.”
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