The path towards a population-based childhood cancer registry in the region of Dakar in Senegal: A feasibility study of the Franco-African Paediatric Oncology Group (GFAOP).

Introduction and Background: The Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer of the World Health Organisation emphasise the importance of registration, especially in low-and middle-income countries, where data are sparse. The Hospital-Based Cancer Registry (HBCR) established in the Paediatric Oncology Unit (POU) at Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar, Senegal, collects data about patients from the whole of Senegal. This study investigates the potential for establishing a Population-Based Childhood Cancer Registry (PBCR) in the region of Dakar in Senegal. Methodology: In an attempt to cover the entire Dakar region in addition to those included in the HBCR, cases were also sought in other hospitals and departments susceptible to diagnose or treat cancer in children. Completeness was assessed and cancer patterns described. Results: From 2017-2019, 568 cancers in children under 18 were recorded in the HBCR, including 133 residents of the Dakar region. An additional 283 cases were identified from other sources, 149 of them without information on their place of residence. Discrepancies in cancer type distribution were observed between the data sources. The overall incidence rate estimate was 33 per million person-years. Discussion: The additional cases found outside the HBCR, the observed variability of cancer types, and the low incidence rates highlight the need for a PBCR to standardize the registration process and improve completeness of ascertainment. Given the few identified data sources, a PBCR in the Dakar region would provide accurate information about childhood cancer burden in the covered population. However, political and financial support is necessary to sustain the registry.