Childhood leukaemia in The Netherlands, 1973–1986: Temporary variation of the incidence of acute lymphocytic leukaemia in young children

Abstract

Summary The incidence of childhood leukaemia in The Netherlands in the period [1973][1974][1975][1976][1977][1978][1979][1980][1981][1982][1983][1984][1985][1986] was studied by means of the DCLSG nationwide register, which lists all patients according to bone marrow slides classified in the DCLSG central laboratory. Acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) accounted for 81% of cases, acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia (ANLL) for 13%, chronic myelocytic leukaemia (CML) for 2.5%, and acute unclassifiable leukaemia (AUL) for 3%. The peak incidence of ALL was at age 3, common-ALL and pre B-ALL comprising about 95% of the immunophenotypes at this age. Incidence rates for ALL remained stable between 1973 and 1978 at 2.85 cases per 10 children per year, exhibited a temporary increase between 1979 and 1984 to 3.60 and dropped back to the lower, previous level in 1985 and 1986. This rise was seen mainly among children in the 1-4 year age group, especially at age 3, and those with common-ALL and an initial WBC<5.0xl 91-1. Cumulative incidence rates per year of birth were fairly homogeneous up to age 6, except for the 1978 birth cohort which exhibited higher rates. Incidence rates for ANLL, CML and AUL remained stable over time. Changes in ascertainment, declining birth rates and a 50% decrease in childhood mortality, e.g. from infectious diseases, could not explain this temporary variation. Moreover, incidence rates in this survey appeared to be similar to those reported in various developed countries for the same period. As far as the aetiology of childhood common-ALL is concerned, therefore, the Dutch data appear to support the hypothesis of 'random mutation' as well as that of a limited role of environmental factors.

Population-based incidence of childhood leukaemias and lymphomas in Spain (1993–2002)

“…The ASR for LLs in our region was higher than the incidence found in Europe as a whole (Coebergh et al, 2006) and similar to the incidence in Hispanics in the USA (Yamamoto and Goodman, 2008). The distribution of B-cell and T-immature cell ALL (77.8 and 16.5% respectively) was similar to that reported by other authors (Coebergh et al, 1989;Pui, 1995;Clavel et al, 2004;Stiller, 2007).…”

Epidemiologic studies in a population‐based childhood cancer registry in Northeast Hungary

“…During this time period the lymphoid leukaemia group was equivalent to the ALL category as no acute undifferentiated leukaemia was diagnosed. The contribution of common childhood solid tumours (sympathetic nervous system tumours, kidney tumours, lymphomas, malignant bone tumours, and soft tissue sarcomas) was similar to those reported in the literature [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Boys were remarkably more fre-quently affected than girls (59.1% of cases) due to predominance in leukaemia (especially lymphoid leukaemia), PNET, ependymoma, and lymphoma diagnostic groups (boys/girls ratio for all cases: 1.45, leukaemias: 1.67, lymphoid leukaemia: 1.92, acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia: 0.85, CNS tumours: 1.35, astrocytoma: 1, PNET: 1.58, ependymoma: 6, other CNS tumours: 1, sympathetic nervous system tumours: 1.05, kidney tumours: 1.2, and lymphoma: 2.92) [18][19].…”

Epidemiology of childhood leukemia in Hokkaido, Japan

“…(1992) Savitz and Zuckerrnan (1987) Breslow and Langholz (1983) Roush et a/. (1992) Drut et al (1990) Gurney et al (1995) Savitz and Zuckerman (1987) Coebergh et al (1989) Period Country ALL ANLL .4 LLIANLL rat10 1971-88 1954-88 1970-79 1967-86 1976-83 1973-77 198 1-86 1977-87 1974-89 1976-83 1973-86 0-14 years) and the ALL/ANLL ratio calculated from these figures, arranged in ascending order (Blair and Birch, 1994;Breslow and Langholz, 1983;Coebergh et al, 1989;Drut et al, 1990;Gurney et al, 1995;Kramer et al, 1983;McWhirter and Petroeschevsky, 1990;Mosso et al, 1992;Roush et al, 1992;Savitz and Zuckerman, 1987). The current incidence of ALL in Hokkaido (about 3) is somewhat lower than that among Caucasians.…”