Background
Childhood cancers, defined as malignancies occurring among individuals aged 0–19 years, represent a significant public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Although survival exceeds 80% in high-income settings, it remains below 30% in many contexts due to delayed diagnosis, limited access to specialized care, and health system constraints. Strengthening cancer surveillance is critical to guiding childhood cancer control efforts and tracking progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) target of 60% survival by 2030.
Objective:
To describe the epidemiological profile of childhood cancers in Rwanda and provide a national baseline using population-based cancer registry data.
Methods:
A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis was conducted using population-based data from the Rwanda National Cancer Registry. All malignant neoplasms diagnosed among individuals aged 0–19 years between 2019 and 2023 were included. Cases were coded using ICD-O-3 and classified according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, Third Edition (ICCC-3). Descriptive analyses were performed, and age-specific, crude, and age-standardized incidence rates were calculated using national population estimates and the WHO standard population.
Results:
A total of 2,142 childhood cancer cases were registered during the study period. Children aged 0–14 years accounted for 76% of cases, while adolescents aged 15–19 years represented 24%. Males comprised 52% of cases. The overall crude incidence rate was 33.1 per 100,000, with an age-standardized incidence rate of 13.43 per 100,000. Leukemias, lymphomas, and Renal cancers were the most frequently diagnosed cancers, accounting for 47% of all cases. At diagnosis, 60% of patients presented with advanced disease, while stage was unknown for 70%. Documented receipt of cancer treatment was reported for 52% of cases.
Conclusion:
This population-based analysis highlights a burden of childhood cancer in Rwanda, characterized by late-stage diagnosis and gaps in treatment documentation. Strengthening childhood cancer surveillance through a dedicated registry is essential to support early diagnosis, improve treatment pathways, and monitor progress toward national and global childhood cancer control goals.