Why Is This Important?

In general, childhood cancers are rare and represent about 1% of all cancers. Leukemias are the most common childhood cancers, accounting for about 30 percent of all cancers in children age 0 - 14 years. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) accounts for about 75 percent of childhood leukemias. At this time, we do not know what causes most leukemias.

Definition

Incidence rate of leukemia in children for a defined population in a specified time interval. Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Standard Population. Rates are per 100,000 population.

Data Notes

• Data have been age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.
• Incidence rates (cases per 100,000 population per year) are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population (19 age groups: <1, 1-4, 5-9, ..., 80-84, 85+). Rates are for invasive cancer only (except for bladder cancer which is invasive and in situ) or unless otherwise specified. Number of cases (numerator) is the total count of cases over the defined interval.

Data Sources

• SEER*Stat, National Center Institute
  (https://www.seer.cancer.gov/seerstat)
• Bridged-race population estimates, National Cancer Institute
  (https://seer.cancer.gov/popdata/)

How the Measure is Calculated

• Numerator:

  Number of new cases of leukemia in children among a defined population in a specified time interval. Cases were selected using ICCC recode ICD-0-3/WHO recode.

• Denominator:

  Defined population in a specified time interval. Population age groups 0-14 and 0-19 are both found to be useful by the International Classification of Childhood Cancers (ICCC).

Related Health Objectives and Indicators

Related Health Status Outcomes Indicators:

• Incidence of Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
• Incidence of Leukemia

Health Topic Pages Related to: Incidence of Childhood Leukemia

• Cancer
• Child and Adolescent Health
• Environmental Health Outcomes