Study reveals regional disparities in Brazilian childhood leukemia mortality

An international study involving LMU found regional differences in childhood lymphoid leukemia mortality across Brazil.

Why do children with lymphoid leukemia face markedly different mortality rates depending on where they live in Brazil? In a collaboration between researchers at LMU and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), trends in childhood lymphoid leukemia mortality in Brazil over more than two decades were analyzed, along with the association of regional development and healthcare structures with the observed disparities. The findings have been published in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas.

The study shows that mortality increased particularly in Brazil's socioeconomically disadvantaged North and Northeast, while rates remained stable or declined in more affluent regions. Improvements in primary health care alone were not sufficient to reduce these disparities. Instead, the researchers highlight the need of targeted, region-specific strategies strengthening specialized pediatric oncology services and improving access to timely diagnosis and treatment to address subnational inequities in childhood cancer outcomes.

Our findings show that health inequalities extend far beyond access to healthcare alone. Reducing childhood leukemia mortality requires addressing the underlying social and structural inequalities that continue to affect vulnerable populations."

Bárbara Sarni Sanches, doctoral candidate and first author

"The strength of our study lies in linking longitudinal leukemia mortality data with complex socioeconomic and healthcare information. Using biostatistical methods, we combined these data into two meaningful indices, used them to model mortality and investigate their association with regional differences in mortality trends," says Dr. Ursula Berger from LMU's Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE).

According to professor Marcelo Gerardin Poirot Land, from the Faculty of Medicine at UFRJ, the findings provide important evidence to support the planning of public policies aimed at reducing health inequalities. In addition, the study highlights the importance of international scientific collaboration and research networks in addressing complex public health challenges. The partnership between UFRJ and LMU brings together expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, and public health, enabling the application of innovative methodologies to investigate the determinants of childhood leukemia mortality in Brazil.