Incidence and patterns of pediatric cancers in Poland, 2022 — insights from the Polish National Cancer Registry

Introduction. This study aims to report the incidence and distribution of pediatric cancers in Poland, emphasizing the PNCR’s role in facilitating national and European oncology insights. Material and methods. We analyzed data from the Polish National Cancer Registry (PNCR) on new cases of invasive cancers diagnosed in individuals aged 0–19 years in 2022. Incidence rates were stratified by age group, sex, and cancer type, categorized using the ICCC, and adjusted for national population demographics. Results. In 2022, Poland recorded 1245 pediatric cancer cases, with an incidence rate of 162.4 per 1 million (163.5 in males, 161.3 in females). The highest rates occurred in adolescents aged 15–19 years (215.8 per 1 million). The most frequent cancers were leukemias (39.5 per 1 million), lymphomas (25.8), and CNS tumors (21.4). Conclusions. This study demonstrates that PNCR data align closely with European pediatric cancer patterns, affirming the registry’s reliability for national and regional oncology planning.