CANCER INCIDENCE RATE AND MORTALITY-RATE IN SICKLE-CELL DISEASE PATIENTS AT HOWARD-UNIVERSITY-HOSPITAL - 1986-1995

The incidence of cancer in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is not known. The 10-year follow-up data on 695 patients with SCD was ana lyzed at our institution in order to determine the cancer incidence an d cancer mortality rates. The age range was 18 to 79 years, with a mea n age of 28.8 years. There were 377 females and 319 males. The median follow-up was 3 years. Five patients developed cancer during this peri od. The cancer incidence rate was 5/2,864 or 1,74 per 1,000 patient ye ars. The 95% CI was 0.64 to 4.32 per 1,000 patient years. There were 6 8 deaths with 3 being due to cancer. The cancer mortality rate was 3/2 ,873 or 1.04 cases per 1,000 patient years. Our data represent the fir st published paper that the authors are aware of, where the cancer inc idence and mortality rates have been calculated for any group of patie nts with SCD. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.