Epidemiological Features of Childhood Acute Leukemia at MAHAK's Pediatric Cancer Treatment and Research Center (MPCTRC), Tehran, Iran

MAHAK’s Pediatric Cancer Treatment and Research Center (MPCTRC) is one of the main national referral centers for childhood malignancies. Due to large number of referrals, data compiled at this center can consider as reference for any issues related to national health strategies and policies in order to facilitate and optimize medical services for pediatric malignancies. This report provides data regarding epidemiology of ALL and AML in children who referred to our center for diagnosis and treatment. The enrolled patients were 216 eligible children suffering from ALL and AML who have been referred to MPTRC since 2007 to 2011. Basic epidemiological information recorded as a checklist for each individual patient. Out of patients, 79.62% had ALL and 20.38% had AML. In the ALL 98(57%) and In the AML 28(63.6%) were males. The mean age in the ALL group was 5.5±0.92 years and in the AML group 6±0.96 years. Familial incidences of malignancies recorded in 28 patients with ALL (16.3%) and in 5 patients with AML (11.6 %). In ALL group seven (4%) and in AML group three (6.8%) had underline disease. Parental consanguinity was evident in (n=41, 19 %) of both groups. According to our data both ALL and AML have the same frequency as compared with data from developing countries. Considering the cure rate of 60-80 % in patients with ALL and AML, these data may serve the health authorities for more effective environmental and preventive measurements, purposeful for facilitating up-to date diagnostic and treatment modalities, psychological support programs for respective family members and educational purposes.