Background: Central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms are highly frequent solid tumours in children and adolescents. While some studies have shown a rise in their incidence in Europe, others have not. Survival remains limited. We addressed two questions about these tumours in Spain: (1) Is incidence increasing? and (2) Has survival improved? Methods: This population-based study included 1635 children and 328 adolescents from 11 population-based cancer registries with International Classification of Childhood Cancer Group III tumours, incident in 1983–2007. Age-specific and age-standardised (world population) incidence rates (ASRws) were calculated. Incidence time trends were characterised using annual percent change (APC) obtained with Joinpoint. Cases from 1991 to 2005 (1171) were included in Kaplan–Meier survival analyses, and the results were evaluated with log-rank and log-rank for trend tests. Children’s survival was age-standardised using: (1) the age distribution of cases and the corresponding trends assessed with Joinpoint; and (2) European weights for comparison with Europe. Results: ASRw 1983–2007: children: 32.7 cases/10⁶; adolescents: 23.5 cases/10⁶. The overall incidence of all tumours increased across 1983–2007 in children and adolescents. Considering change points, the APCs were: (1) children: 1983–1993, 4.3%^ (1.1; 7.7); 1993–2007, −0.2% (−1.9; 1.6); (2) adolescents: 1983–2004: 2.9%^ (0.9; 4.9); 2004–2007: −7.7% (−40; 41.9). For malignant tumours, the trends were not significant. 5-year survival was 65% (1991–2005), with no significant trends (except for non-malignant tumours). Conclusions: CNS tumour incidence in Spain was found to be similar to that in Europe. Rises in incidence may be mostly attributable to changes in the registration of non-malignant tumours. The overall malignant CNS tumour trend was compatible with reports for Southern Europe. Survival was lower than in Europe, without improvement over time. We provide a baseline for assessing current paediatric oncology achievements and incidence in respect of childhood and adolescent CNS tumours.

Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumours (GISTs) are a kind of neoplasm whose diagnosis in common clinical practice just started in the current century, implying difficulties for proper registration. Staff from the Cancer Registry of Murcia, in southeastern Spain, were commissioned by the EU Joint Action on Rare Cancers into a pilot study addressing GIST registration that also yielded a population-based depiction of GISTs in the region, including survival figures. We examined reports from 2001 to 2015 from hospitals as well as cases already present in the registry. The variables collected were sex, date of diagnosis, age, vital status, primary location, presence of metastases, and risk level according to Joensuu’s Classification. In total, 171 cases were found, 54.4% occurred in males, and the mean age value was 65.0 years. The most affected organ was the stomach, with 52.6% of cases. Risk level was determined as “High” for 45.0%, with an increment of lower levels in recent years. Incidence for the year 2015 doubled that of 2001. Overall, the 5-year net survival estimation was 77.0%. The rising incidence magnitude is consistent with trends in other European countries. Survival evolution lacked statistical significance. A more interventional approach in clinical management could explain the increase in the proportion of “Low Risk GISTs” and the first occurrence of “Very Low Risk” in recent years.

Background: Childhood cancer survivors are more likely to develop cancer in adulthood than people of similar age in the general population. In Spain, there are no popula-tion-based studies on the risk of developing second cancers in people diagnosed with childhood cancer. The main objective of this study was to present recent survival rates fol-lowing a childhood cancer diagnosis in Spain and to investigate the risk of second malig-nant neoplasms (SMNs) in people diagnosed with childhood cancer between 1990 and 2009. Methods: This population-based registry study, devised by the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN), collected data on all malignancies and non-malignant neoplasms of the CNS diagnosed before age 15 years in populations covered by 12 cancer registries of Spain. Age-standardised incidence rates (ASIRw) for the period 2015–19 were calculated per million childhood-years. Five-year and 10-year age-adjusted observed sur-vival rates, for the periods 1990-1999 and 2000–2009 were estimated. The risk of develop-ing SMNs was calculated using standardized incidence ratio (SIR), excess absolute risk (EAR). Age-specific incidence rates of SMN were also calculated. Results: During the pe-riod 2015-2019, the ASIRw was 181.3 per million child-years. The 10-year childhood sur-vival rate for both sexes combined increased from 71.3% to 75.5% between the 1990s and the 2000s. The relative risk of a SMN in people with a first childhood cancer diagnosed between 1990 and 2009 was 5.67 at 20 years after the diagnosis of the first cancer. Conclu-sion: In the 2000s, the 10-year survival rate for childhood cancer in Spain was around 75%, but survivors faced a high risk of developing a second cancer for at least 20 years af-ter their initial diagnosis. Efforts to reduce treatment-related toxicity are essential to miti-gate this long-term risk without compromising survival outcomes.

Background: Childhood cancer survivors have a higher risk of developing malignancies later in life compared with individuals of similar age in the general population. In Spain, population-based evidence on second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) is limited. This study aimed to estimate survival following childhood cancer diagnosis and to assess the risk of SMNs in Spain. Methods: This population-based registry study used data from 12 cancer registries within the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN). All malignancies of sites and non-malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors diagnosed before age 15 were included. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRw) for 2015–2019 were calculated. Five- and 10-year age-adjusted observed survival rates for 1990–1999 and 2000–2009 were estimated. SMN risk was assessed using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and excess absolute risks (EARs). Results: The ASIRw for 2015–2019 was 181.3 per million child-years. Ten-year survival increased from 71.3% in 1990–1999 to 75.5% in 2000–2009. The overall risk of developing an SMN was significantly elevated (SIR = 5.67) at 20 years. Conclusions: Although survival for childhood cancer in Spain was around 75% in 2000–2009, childhood cancer survivors remain at substantially increased risk of SMNs for at least two decades. Efforts to reduce treatment-related toxicity while maintaining survival gains are essential.

Purpose: The association between the use of mobile phones use and the risk of brain cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study is to describe trends in the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) cancers in Spain and its possible relationship with mobile phone use. Methods: Trends and trend changes from 1985 to 2015 in adjusted incidence rates of CNS cancers by sex, age (adults and children), site, and histological type were assessed using data from 14 general and paediatric cancer registries. Results: The study included 20,325 CNS malignancies in adults and 2,372 in children. For adults, the overall rate of malignant brain tumours showed a slight increase of 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1 - 0.4) per year. This increase was concentrated in the early years up to 1996 (1.7% per year, 95% CI: 0.9 - 2.6) followed by 20 years of a non-significant slight decline of -0.1% (95% CI: -0.4 - 0.1) per year until 2015. In children, an increase of 7.6% (95% CI: 2.4 – 13.1) per year until 1991 followed by a decrease of -1.0% (95%CI: -1.7 - -0.3) per year until 2015 was observed. This increase in the incidence in 1980s and early 1990s could be explained by diagnostic improvements especially in imaging techniques implemented during these years. Conclusion: The present findings do not support a possible relationship between the use of mobile phones and the incidence of malignant brain tumours. However, the possibility of the presence of a weak correlation or that a longer latency period would be needed to observe a possible ecological correlation cannot be discarded.