Mortality by Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Regional Analysis in Peru and Ecuador

BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignant neoplasm in children representing the leading cause of death in pediatric oncology. However, studies in the Latin American and Caribbean region are scarce. The objective of this study was to determine the childhood ALL-mortality rates of Ecuador and Peru from 2005 to 2020. METHODS: We retrieved ALL deaths from the mortality databases of Ecuador and Peru. Age-standardized mortality rates per 100,000 person-years were estimated. Mortality trends were evaluated by country, and sex, between 2005 and 2020 with Joinpoint regression analyses. RESULTS: Between 2016 and 2020, Ecuador and Peru reported a mortality rate of 1.7 for boys and 1.2 for girls 0-14 years of age. The Coastal region had the highest mortality rate in this period for both age groups, and the Rainforest had the lowest rates. Only Peru showed a significant increase in both sexes, with large increases for boys in the Highlands (+17.6% annually) and girls in Lima (+13.3% annually). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest considerable increases in ALL mortality in Peru. It is important to implement public health strategies for early diagnosis and timely treatment of children with ALL in Peru.