title: The incidence of myelodysplastic syndromes in Western Greece is increasing.
abstract: Descriptive epidemiology of the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is always interesting and may reveal time-dependent and geographical variations, as well as occupational exposure. Epidemiological data in Greece are not available by now. We have collected and analyzed medical records of all patients with a documented diagnosis of MDS, performed by an expert hematologist and/or hematopathologist, in the geographical area of Western Greece, during the 20-year period, defined between 1990 and 2009. We have then calculated and described demographic and clinical features of the diagnosed MDS patient population, and assessed the incidence and prevalence rates of MDS in Western Greece, during the above-mentioned period. A total of 855 patients with newly diagnosed MDS have been identified. Refractory anemia was the most common subtype in both FAB and WHO classification systems and in both genders. Del-5q and RARS were more commonly encountered among females, and the dysplastic subtype of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia among males. Trisomy 8 was the most common single cytogenetic abnormality. The crude mean annual incidence rate of MDS was 6.0 per 100,000 inhabitants aged ≥15 years old (all subtypes according to FAB), and it was 4.8 per 100,000 when CMML and RAEB-T were excluded. Crude incidence rate was higher in rural than in urban areas, but this finding was not confirmed after age standardization. Age-standardized mean annual incidence rate in men was 7.9/100,000 and in women 3.4/100,000. A continuously increasing incidence rate of MDS has been observed throughout the study period.
authors.affiliation: Hematology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Patras Medical School, 26504, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avgerinou
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alamanos
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zikos
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampropoulou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melachrinou
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Labropoulou
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tavernarakis
authors.forename: Anthi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aktypi
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaiafas
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raptis
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouraklis
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karakantza
authors.forename: Argiris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Symeonidis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5 / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015477:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012424:Rural Population; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014314:Trisomy; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult