Epidemiology of Leukemia: PHR Review

Abstract

Variations in age, sex, race, and socioeconomic selection of leukemia are reviewed and data on urban-rural distribution of deaths from leukemia in the United States are presented. The finding that death rates from leukemia at certain ages are significantly higher in urban than rural populations of the United States, while at other ages they are of the same order, appears to be inconsistent with a hypothesis that the higher crude rates in urban population can be accounted for by superior diagnostic services in cities. From the published data reviewed there is no evidence that hereditary influences or exposure to leukemogenic agents are mutually exclusive in the etiology of human leukemia or that they may not be considered jointly as coleukemogenic factors.