Foreword

Children’s health is highly valued by the Party, the government and society. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important instructions on children’s health. Premier Li Keqiang has conducted several in-depth investigations on the work of promoting the treatment and security of major pediatric diseases. And Vice Premier Sun Chunlan has done themed research on building the system for the treatment and security of pediatric hematological diseases and cancers. In 2019, the National Health Commission has further improved the working mechanisms and comprehensively deployed and implemented the treatment and security of pediatric hematological diseases and cancers, as an important endeavor to roll out the Party Central Committee’s education campaign themed“remaining true to our original aspiration and keeping our mission firmly in mind”.

In order to meet the deployment requirements of pediatric cancer prevention and treatment by the Party and the State, and keep abreast of the current situation and trends of pediatric cancer in China, the National Center for Pediatric Cancer Surveillance has been established in 2019 under the guidance of the National Health Commission by the National Center for Children’s Health (Beijing), Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University. The National Center for Pediatric Cancer Surveillance serves to build a pediatric cancer registration and surveillance system to carry out pediatric cancer surveillance that is hospital-based, real-time, and dynamic. The continuous progress and development of the work will provide comprehensive, scientific data for the country to formulate health policies and prevention and control strategies concerning pediatric cancer. It will also lay a solid foundation for research in the epidemiology, standardized clinical treatment, and medicine innovation of pediatric cancer.

With the support from the National Health Commission and local health commissions as well as the cooperation of pediatric cancer surveillance sites, the National Center for Pediatric Cancer Surveillance compiles the National Pediatric Cancer Surveillance Annual Report for the first time. The report collects data from 313 pediatric surveillance sites in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government), and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and provides information on pediatric cancer in China between 2017 and 2018. Admittedly, constraints of knowledge and time inevitably lead to omissions and deficiencies. We sincerely invite valuable suggestions from colleagues and experts in the medical and health industry and readers from all sides.

Dr. Ni Xin

Director, National Center for Children’s Health (Beijing)and National Center for Pediatric Cancer Surveillance

President, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University

December, 2020