Leucemia infantojuvenil no Brasil : um estudo sobre tendências e mortalidade

Abstract

Leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer. Despite numerous gaps such as large number of ill-defined causes presented by the Sistema de Informação Sobre Mortalidade (SIM), it is still the main source of data for epidemiological research. The objective was to study the variation of mortality from leukemia in children and adolescents and to relate them to mortality from ill-defined causes and the trend of leukemia deaths in Espírito Santo. Were conducted ecological studies, observational, retrospective from time series, based on secondary data obtained from the SIM, to Brazil and regions, and for the state of Espírito Santo. Rates were generated and thus modeled time series to evaluate temporal trends, and relating the amount of variability of an indicator in another. Has been found the regional difference in the trends by leukemia mortality in children and adolescent and the influence of ill-defined causes of death in this indicator. In general, for the state of Espírito Santo, the trend mortality in children showed decline, comparing the standards of developed areas in the world and Brazil. However, for some cancer subtypes was found growing trend. The incompleteness of the data from incomplete diagnosis and ill-defined causes are still obstacles to overcome in public health. Mortality by leukemia in children from Espirito Santo, although declined as a result of improved access to health and increased survival, it needs closer look, mainly to specific types of the disease, such as acute myeloid leukemia.