Epidemiology of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is responsible for 12-15% of leukaemia cases (1,2)

• worldwide incidence is projected to be 1-4.75 per 100,000 people
• highest incidence of ALL is reported in Italy, the United States (US), Switzerland, and Costa Rica (1)
• 10,000 new adult cases are diagnosed each year in Europe (2)

The disease is more frequent in men than in women.

• the sex ratio is around 1.4:1
• annual incidence for men in European countries was 1.3 per 100,000 while for women it was 0.9 per 100,000

ALL is a disease most commonly affecting the children

• it accounts for 30% of all cancers and 80% of all leukaemias in childhood (2)
• almost two thirds of the cases are seen in children aged 2-6 years with slightly more common in boys than in girls
• peak incidence in boys are observed at aged 4 years while in girls it is around 2 years
• the disease is less prevalent in adolescents and adults (3)

Reference:

• 1. Redaelli A et al. A systematic literature review of the clinical and epidemiological burden of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2005;14(1):53-62.
• 2. Bassan R et al. Adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2004;50(3):223-61.
• 3. Mohan SR, Advani AS. Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adolescents and Young Adults Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology 2011;1(1): 19-24.