Childhood cancer incidence among specific Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the United States

• Published in: International journal of cancer 2020-12, Vol.147 (12), p.3339-3348
• Main Authors: Moore, Kristin J., Hubbard, Aubrey K., Williams, Lindsay A., Spector, Logan G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Acute myeloid leukemia; Adolescent; Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander - statistics & numerical data; Asian and Pacific islander; Asian people; Cancer; Child; Child, Preschool; Childhood; childhood cancer; Children; disparities; Epidemiology; Ethnicity; Female; Genetic diversity; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Leukemia; Lymphatic leukemia; Male; Medical research; Myeloid leukemia; Neoplasms - classification; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Pacific Islander people; pediatric cancer; SEER Program - statistics & numerical data; United States - ethnology
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33153

Despite the vast genetic and environmental diversity in Asia, individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) descent are often combined into a single group for epidemiologic analyses within the U.S. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Detailed Asian/Pacific Islander Database to calculate incidence rates for discrete groups among children aged 0 to 19 years. Due to sample size constraints we pooled incidence among regional groups based on countries of origin: East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), Southeast (SE) Asians (Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian), Asian Indian/Pakistani, Oceanians (Guamanian, Samoan, Tongan) and Filipinos. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated comparing each API regional group to Non‐Hispanic Whites (NHW) and East Asians. Finally, we calculated the correlation between incidence of cancer in specific API ethnicities in SEER and in originating countries in the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents. Incidence rates among API regional groups varied. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was lower in children of SE Asian descent (IRR 0.65, 95% CI 0.44, 0.96) compared to NHW. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was more common among children from Oceania compared to NHW (IRR 3.88, 95% CI 1.83, 8.22). East Asians had higher incidence rates than SE Asians but lower rates compared to children from Oceania. Correlation of some incidence rates between US‐based API ethnicities and originating countries were similar. The variation observed in childhood cancer incidence patterns among API groups may indicate differences in underlying genetics and/or patterns of exposure. What's new? The incidence of childhood cancer varies by demographic factors in the United States. However, childhood cancer studies often combine Americans of Asian or Pacific Island (API) descent into a single category, despite substantial diversity in national origins. Using both the Detailed Asian/Pacific Islander Database in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results and the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents data, the authors demonstrate variability in childhood cancer incidence among specific API populations within the United States. The incidence of some cancers was similar between U.S. API populations and their countries of origin, potentially underscoring differences in genetic predisposition and/or environmental risk factors.