When a child or adolescent is diagnosed with cancer, treatment is just one part of a journey that involves different stages. Before reaching a specialized service, it is necessary to identify the signs, investigate the disease, confirm the diagnosis and refer the patient to appropriate care.
In Brazil, this path still presents challenges. Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children and adolescents aged 1 to 19 years. For each year of the 2026–2028 triennium, the National Cancer Institute (INCA) estimates 7,560 new cases of childhood cancer in the country. In 2024, 2,262 deaths from the disease were recorded.
The numbers also reveal differences between regions. According to INCA estimates, the South Region has the highest estimated incidence rates in the country: 165.96 cases per million among boys and 181.09 per million among girls.
More than measuring the number of cases, these data help to show the importance of understanding how assistance is organized and what paths are available for children and adolescents who need specialized care.
It is in this scenario that Erastinho Hospital participates in the National Mapping of Childhood Cancer – OncoBrasil Project, an initiative that aims to understand the structure of services that operate in this area in different regions of the country.
A challenge that starts before treatment
Talking about childhood cancer also means looking at what happens before treatment begins.
The identification of signs and symptoms, access to medical research, confirmation of the diagnosis and referral to a specialized service are part of this journey. When these steps do not happen properly or in the necessary time, access to care can become more difficult.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 400,000 new cases of cancer per year among children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 worldwide. The organization also points out important differences in treatment outcomes between countries. In high-income countries, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured, while in many low- and middle-income countries this percentage is below 30%.
These differences are related to several factors, including difficulties or delays in diagnosis, limited access to treatment and availability of specialized structures.
Therefore, knowing the reality of each region is an important step in understanding the challenges of child and adolescent cancer care.
What mapping aims to discover
It is precisely this portrait that the OncoBrasil Project intends to build.
The proposal is to gather information about services that serve children and adolescents with cancer, identifying their different capabilities and characteristics. The survey considers aspects related to diagnosis, treatment, patient follow-up, specialized care and highly complex therapies.
The initiative plans to reach up to 211 hospitals and 111 support institutions across the country.
The survey will be carried out in three stages: online questionnaire, in-depth interviews and in-person participant observation. The idea is to gather information that allows us to understand not only where the services are, but also what their service conditions and needs are.
The mapping is not intended for auditing, monitoring or creating a ranking between institutions. The objective is to technically understand the existing network.
"When we talk about childhood cancer, it is not enough to have treatment. It is necessary for the child to reach the appropriate service at the right time. Knowing the installed capacity, identifying gaps in care and organizing referral flows are fundamental steps to reduce inequalities in access to diagnosis and treatment", says Dr. Robson Coelho, technical director of Hospital Erastinho.
A snapshot of pediatric care in the country
To achieve this portrait, the project brings together different institutions and areas involved in child and adolescent cancer care.
National Mapping was created by the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Oncology (SOBOPE) and the National Confederation of Support and Assistance Institutions (CONIACC). The initiative is led by the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Department of Cancer Care (Decan/Saes/MS), the National Cancer Institute (INCA) and the General Project Coordination (CGPROJ) of SAES, through PROADI-SUS, with Einstein Hospital Israelita as the executing institution.
The participation of services makes it possible to bring together different realities in the same survey. With this, the project can help identify points of attention, regional needs and network characteristics that do not always appear when the data is analyzed in isolation.
The information will also be able to support discussions on public policies, integration between services, referral flows, investments and qualifications.
The role of Erastinho Hospital
In Paraná, Hospital Erastinho participates in this process by presenting its structure and service flows of an institution dedicated exclusively to pediatric oncology.
The first exclusively oncopediatric hospital in the South of Brazil, Erastinho receives patients from different regions and provides more than 75% of its care through the Unified Health System (SUS).
Participation in the mapping allows the institution's reality to be part of this national survey and, at the same time, contribute to a broader view of the assistance available in the state.
More than gathering information about each service, the proposal is to understand how these different structures connect and which points can be strengthened to improve the organization of the care network.
Golden September draws attention to childhood cancer
The mapping takes place during Golden September, a period dedicated to raising awareness about childhood cancer.
The campaign also helps to highlight an important characteristic of this type of cancer: unlike many tumors that affect adults, childhood cancers are not, in general, associated with risk factors that can be prevented.
Therefore, attention to signs and symptoms, medical investigation and access to appropriate care play an important role in care.
There is no single path for all patients. Each diagnosis requires an individual assessment and may involve different professionals, exams and treatment steps.
This is precisely why knowing the structure available in each region matters. The clearer the assistance scenario, the greater the possibility of identifying where the challenges are and what needs need to be considered.
A look at the future of assistance
Childhood cancer involves numbers, structures and health policies, but at the center of this discussion are children, adolescents and their families.
The National Mapping of Childhood Cancer seeks to transform different realities into information that helps to understand pediatric oncology care in Brazil.
For Hospital Erastinho, being part of this movement means contributing to the experience of a specialized institution and helping to build a portrait closer to the reality experienced by services that care for patients with childhood cancer.
Knowing this reality is a step towards understanding the existing challenges and thinking about ways that can strengthen assistance in the country.
About Erastinho Hospital
Erastinho Hospital is the first exclusively oncopediatric hospital in southern Brazil. Integrated into the Paraná League to Combat Cancer, it offers specialized assistance to children and adolescents with cancer and their families.
The institution has a structure focused on the needs of children and young people and provides more than 75% of services through the Unified Health System (SUS).
