INCIDENCE OF CHILDHOOD LYMPHOMA IN NORTHERN ISRAEL, 1973-1990

We retrospectively analyzed all 164 cases of pediatric lymphoma diagno sed in northern Israel during the 18-year period from 1973 to 1990. Ou r findings generally conformed to those of other studies with regard t o annual incidence (24.7/million), age at diagnosis (5 to 9 years for Jewish males, later for others), histology (Hodgkin's disease most com monly), and male predominance. The northern Israeli pediatric lymphoma pattern of incidence is similar to the Asian-African-South American p attern and unlike that of Europe or North America; in Israel, lymphoma rather than brain tumor is the second most common childhood malignanc y. The nodular sclerosing variant was the most common histology seen i n Hodgkin's lymphoma (especially in females), followed by mixed cellul arity. Malignancies are generally more common in Jewish children but l ymphomas in particular were seen more often in Arabs (28.7/million), w hile the Ashkenasi (20.8/million) and Sephardi (21.6/million) Jewish p opulations had similar incidences. The high rate of consanguineous mar riages among Arabs and their lower socioeconomic level may explain the high incidence of lymphomas in this group.