Treatment abandonment in children with cancer: Does a sex difference exist? A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence from low- and middle-income countries

Treatment abandonment is a major cause of treatment failure in children with cancer in resource poor settings. Multiple factors potentially influence rates of treatment abandonment in childhood cancers, although very few studies have examined the influence of a child’s gender. Here, analyses of treatment abandonment rates among boys and girls with cancer in low- and middle-income countries uncovered no evidence to support gender bias. Treatment abandonment, however, was significantly linked to sociodemographic factors, including socioeconomic status and rural residence, indicating that risk factors for abandonment are context specific. Future in-depth studies are needed to better understand treatment abandonment decisions.