The incidence and survival of acute de novo leukaemias in Estonia and in a well defined region of Western Sweden during 1982-1996: a survey of patients aged 16-64 years.
In the present work the incidence and survival of acute de novo leukaemias in two neighbouring countries, were studied retrospectively over three 5-year periods, 1982-1996. The aim was to compare the above variables, particularly with respect to political/socio-economic and environmental factors, in a well defined area of Sweden, the so-called Western Swedish Health Care Region, with Estonia. Population-wise the Western Swedish Region and Estonia are very similar; area-wise they are also well comparable. The present report covers only patients diagnosed between the ages of 16-64 years. The number of acute de novo leukaemias in the two regions was quite similar (Western Sweden n = 282 and Estonia n = 237). The age standardized incidence rate regarding total acute de novo leukaemias was slightly lower in Estonia than in Western Sweden (1.49/100,000 inhabitants/year for Estonia and 1.76 for Sweden, respectively), the difference being not statistically significant. However, the survival data for the two countries were highly different (P < 0.001). Thus, the relative survival for the total group of patients aged 16-64 years in Estonia at 1 year was 20.7% and at 5 years 3.6%, respectively. The corresponding figures for the Swedish patients were considerably higher, 65.2 and 29.4%, respectively. Further, the 5 year survival significantly (P < 0.05) increased for the Swedish patients over the 3 consecutive 5-year periods. No such improvement was recorded for the Estonian patients.
Haematology and Coagulation Section, Department of Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Lovisa
L
Wennström
Eva-Lena
EL
Juntikka
Soodabeh
S
Safai-Kutti
Dick
D
Stockelberg
Erik
E
Holmberg
Ene
E
Luik
Hele
H
Everaus
Katrin
K
Palk
Mirja
M
Varik
Tiiu
T
Aareleid
Jack
J
Kutti
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007938:Leukemia / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology