12.5 days to diagnose, 2 days to start treatment: Registry on cancer among kids lauds Chennai's health infra

CHENNAI: The median time from the onset of symptom of cancer in children to diagnosis is 12.5 days in Chennai, and thanks to the well-established healthcare infrastructure here, treatment starts within two days of diagnosis.

These findings are part of the first report of the Chennai Population-Based Childhood Cancer Registry (PBCCR), which was released by the Chennai Cancer Institute in the presence of Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Friday. During the event, the Tamil Nadu Population-Based Childhood Cancer Registry was also launched.

Established in October 2022, the registry is India's first dedicated registry for improving paediatric cancer care through data collection and analysis. That year, it registered 241 paediatric cancer cases in Greater Chennai Corporation. Leukemia was the most frequent diagnosis, followed by lymphomas and soft tissue sarcomas.

The registry captured detailed data on diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for children aged 0–19 years.

At the two-year follow-up, 71 per cent of cases with high-resolution data were alive, with 81 per cent in remission. The registry’s data aligns with the goals of the World Health Organisation's Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which aims to achieve a 60 per cent survival rate in low- and middle-income countries by 2030.

When compared to other cities, Chennai's age-standardised paediatric cancer incidence rate is 136.3 per million, which is second in the case of boys and third for girls. The report stated that this highlighted the robust registration process rather than an increase in disease burden.

Minister Subramanian said the insights from the report, including diagnosis, treatment timelines, and survival rates, are critical for guiding policies and resource allocation to combat childhood cancers effectively. Timely treatment within two days was a remarkable progress ensuring that children receive timely treatment, which plays a vital role in improving outcomes, he added.

"Tamil Nadu government is fully committed to supporting initiatives like PBCCR. We are determined to expand this model to other regions of the State and continue strengthening data collection and treatment delivery systems. The success of PBCCR is closely linked to the government's efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and recognise cancer as a notifiable disease," said the minister.

Expanding its model to cover all of Tamil Nadu and integrate advanced electronic health records to enhance data collection, the Tamil Nadu Population-Based Childhood Cancer Registry was also launched at the event.

Cancer incidence among children in Chennai

Chennai Population-Based Childhood Cancer Registry (PBCCR) registered 241 paediatric cancer cases in Greater Chennai Corporation in 2022

Two years later, 71% of cases with high-resolution data were alive and 81% in remission

WHO's Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer aims to achieve 60% survival rate in low and middle-income countries by 2030

Chennai's age-standardised paediatric cancer incidence rate is 136.3/million