Childhood Neoplasms: Analysis of Thai Children 2010
Surapon Wiangnon MD*, Arunee Jetsrisuparb MD*, Patcharee Komvilaisak MD*, Sumitr Sutra MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Between 1990 and 2010, many national and international factors converged to both beneficially and antagonis-
tically affect people’s health as well as the Thai healthcare system. Among these were: a falling birth rate in Thailand and a
gradual decline in poverty-related diseases. Cancer becomes the most common cause of death.
Objective : To analyze Thailand’s childhood neoplasm issues for baseline information for changing medical education,
services and research.
Material and Method: Information on the illnesses of in-patients, out-patients and casualties was based on hospital withdrawals
nationwide from the three health insurance schemes in the fiscal year 2010. The data, which included 96% of the population,
were analyzed by age groups and burden of neoplasm disease.
Results : The children with neoplasms were treated 127,597 times at outpatient departments (OPD) and 19,159 times at
inpatient departments (IPD) at community hospitals (4.3%), provincial hospitals (8.5%), regional or university hospitals
(86.1%) and private hospitals (1.1%). Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid hematopoietic and related tissues were the most
common in both IPD and OPD settings, which resulted in the highest cost of treatment. Tumors of the central nervous system
were associated with the highest cost. The mean length of stay for all patients with neoplasm was 7.85 days.
Conclusion : Sufficient budget should be allocated to the more heavily frequented treatment center. Specific and better care,
national treatment protocols for each type of childhood cancer (including palliative care) should be developed to improve the
treatment outcomes and/or the quality of life. Medical schools and health service systems need to be recalibrated to respond
proactively to these changes being experienced by the healthcare system.
Keywords : Childhood, Neoplasms, Cancer, Thai children
