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TRENDS IN CHILDHOOD LEUKAEMIA IN BASRA, IRAQ (1993–2007)
Amy Hagopian,1* Riyadh Lafta,2 Jenan
Hassan,3 Scott Davis,4,5 Dana Mirick,5
Tim Takaro6
ABSTRACT
Background:
we report leukaemia rates in Basra, Iraq, between 1993 and
2007. Basra's strategic location in southern Iraq has put it
in harm’s way through the Iran–Iraq war (1980–1986), the
first Gulf War (1991), and Operation Iraqi Freedom
(2003-present). As the only paedatric oncology service in
the region, Ibn Ghazwan Hospital has maintained a regional
cancer registry since at least 1990. Through a sister
university relationship between the University of Basra and
the University of Washington, hospital data were analyzed to
evaluate trends since 1993.
Methods:
we documented leukaemia cases among children aged 0-14 for
each of the last 15 years. Population data were obtained
from a 1997 census and various subsequent estimates to
calculate rates.
Results:
we observed 698 cases of childhood leukaemia between 1993
and 2007, ranging between 15 cases (for an annual rate of
2.6 per 100 000) in the first year and 56 cases (annual rate
of 6.9 per 100 000) in the final year, reaching a peak of 97
cases in 2006 (annual rate of 12.2 per 100 000). Childhood
leukaemia rates in Basra more than doubled over a 15-year
period. The test for trend was significant (P value of
0.03).
Conclusions:
Basra’s childhood leukaemia rates compare unfavorably to
neighboring Kuwait and nearby Oman, as well as the US, the
EU, and other countries. We have no data about the exposure
of patients to factors known or suspected to be associated
with leukaemia, but believe the findings of this study
should lead to further investigation.
Specialty, Qualification, Department, Address, Email:
1Faculty,
Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and
Community Medicine, University of Washington, 4534 11th
Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA, hagopian@u.washington.edu
2Faculty,
Mustansiriya University, Box 14132, Baghdad, Iraq,
drriyadh_26@yahoo.com
3Facuty,
Basrah University School of Medicine, Paediatric Department,
Basra, Iraq, jenan_ah03@yahoo.com
4Chair
and Professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public
Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Box
357236, Seattle, WA 98195, USA, sdavis@fhcrc.org
5Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Public Health
Sciences, MS M4-A830, Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109, USA,
dmirick@fhcrc.org
6Faculty
of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall,
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada, ttakaro@sfu.ca
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