Higher risk for acute childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia in Swedish population centres 1973-94. Swedish Child Leukaemia Group

A population-based sample of acute childhood leukaemia cases in Sweden 1973-94 was analysed by a geographical information system (GIS) for spatial leukaemia distribution in relation to population density. The annual incidence rate for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was 3.6, and for acute non-ly...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of cancer 1999-01, Vol.79 (1), p.30-33
Main Authors: Hjalmars, U, Gustafsson, G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child
Cluster Analysis
Humans
Incidence
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - epidemiology
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - etiology
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - epidemiology
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - etiology
Risk Factors
Sweden - epidemiology
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Summary:A population-based sample of acute childhood leukaemia cases in Sweden 1973-94 was analysed by a geographical information system (GIS) for spatial leukaemia distribution in relation to population density. The annual incidence rate for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was 3.6, and for acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia (ANLL) 0.7, cases per 100,000 children. Incidence rates in population centres, constituting 1.3% of Sweden's land area and approximately 80% of the population, compared with the rest of Sweden showed a statistically significant excess of ALL [odds ratio (OR) 1.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44-1.95], but not ANLL (OR 1.13; 95% CI 0.98-1.32). An increasing trend, however not statistically significant, was found for ALL incidence with both increasing population density in parishes and increasing degree of urbanity in municipalities. These findings support the theories that some environmental factors associated with high population density, such as infectious agents, may be of aetiological importance for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
ISSN:0007-0920
DOI:10.1038/sj.bjc.6690007