Incidence and survival of leukemias according to the different histologic subsets, in Tarragona, Spain, between 1980-1994

BACKGROUND: TO study the incidence and survival of leukemias according to t he different hystologic types in Tarragona, Spain. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Analysis of the information obtained from the Cancer R egistry of Tarragona (Spain) between 1980-1994, The leukemias were classifi ed in: acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) , chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), The e stimated incidence rates have been adjusted to the worldwide population, th e percentage of the incidence annual change through Poisson regression mode ls and the relative survival using the registry of death rate of Catalonia. RESULTS: The adjusted rate for leukemias between the period 1990-1994 was 8 .0 per 100,000 inhabitants in men and of 5.2 in women, being the CLL the mo st frequent subtype. Regarding the trend of incidence an increase of the CL L of 2.2% annual (Cl 95%, 0.1-6.6) in men and of 7.7% (Cl 95%, 1.4-14.4) in women was observed. In the remaining subtypes, there was no trend, but the non-classified leukemias decreased a -10.8% annual (CI 95%, -15.0 to -6.4) in men and a -9.9% annual (Cl 95%, 15.4 to -4.0) in women. 5-year relative survival (RS5y) for the total leukemias was 37.7% in men and 45.3% in wome n. It stands out the CLL with a RS5y of 64.8% in men and of 75.7% in women and childhood ALL with a RS5y of 83.0% in boys and of 84.9% in girls. CONCLUSIONS: In Tarragona, Spain, an increase of the CLL incidence has been observed suggesting an improvement in the diagnosis, parallel to a decreas e of the non-classified leukemias. The survival in this cohort of patients was similar to the that reported in other european registries.