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Cancer Causes & Control
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control 3/2020

01-03-2020 | Leukemia | Original Paper

Childhood leukaemia incidence and trends in a Middle Eastern country during 1980–2014: a population-based study

Authors: Saeed Akhtar, Jarrah Al-Abkal, Ahmad Al-Shammari

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 3/2020

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Abstract

Background

This retrospective cohort study examines the trends in childhood leukaemia age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) (per million person-years) using cases which were diagnosed at age 0–19 years from 1980 to 2014 and recorded in the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) registry.

Methods

Childhood leukaemia age-specific incidence rates overall and by sub-cohorts defined by age (0–4, 5–9, 10–14, and 15–19 years), sex (male, female) and nationality (Kuwaiti, non-Kuwaiti) were computed and age-standardized. Joinpoint regression models were used to evaluate trends in childhood leukaemia ASIRs. Average annual percent change (AAPC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to interpret the observed trends.

Results

During the study period, 1077 childhood leukaemia cases of 32.3 million person-years were diagnosed. From 1980 to 2014, the average annual childhood leukaemia ASIR was 53.1 (95% CI 20.9, 85.2). Overall childhood leukaemia ASIRs significantly decreased on average by 6.8% per year (AAPC =  −6.8; 95% CI −12.1, −1.1; p = 0.02) from 1980 to 1993, but a marginally significant increase in ASIRs from 1993 to 2014 was recorded (AAPC = 2.5; 95% CI −0.5, 5.5; p = 0.10). During the entire period, childhood leukaemia ASIRs trends significantly (p < 0.05) increased among 6 of 16 sub-cohorts, which was more pronounced among females and 10–14-year-old children.

Conclusions

Overall, ASIRs significantly increased from 1993 to 2014, which specifically seems to be driven by an increase in ASIRs among females and 10–14 -year-old children. These increasing trends underscore the potential involvement of a range of exposures. Future studies on unravelling such factors may help develop preventive measures to minimize childhood leukaemia risk in this and similar settings in the region.
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Metadata
Title
Childhood leukaemia incidence and trends in a Middle Eastern country during 1980–2014: a population-based study
Authors
Saeed Akhtar
Jarrah Al-Abkal
Ahmad Al-Shammari
Publication date
01-03-2020
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Keyword
Leukemia
Published in
Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 3/2020
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01267-3

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