An audit of the activities of the paediatric oncology unit in Edinburgh, 1982-1991.

The activities of the paediatric oncology unit at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh during 1982–1991 were audited. There were 254 new patients of whom 240 had a malignancy, seven had Langerhans cell histiocytosis and seven had non malignant tumours. of the 254, 131 (52%), 78 (31%), 14 (65), were normally resident within the Lothian, Fife and Borders regions respectively. Therefore, although the unit is a part of the Lothian Health Board, it is in practice, the referral centre for S.E. Scotland. A majority (92%) of patients were treated according to national or international protocols during the last five years and of the 240 children diagnosed to have cancer, 158 (66%) are at present in clinical remission. These figures compare favourably with national averages for protocol compliance and survival. During these ten years, an additional 69 children with cancer from S.E. Scotland were treated at other centres. Therefore, while the unit justifies its existence it has yet to realise its full pot...