Time space distribution of childhood leukaemia in the Netherlands

In the western part of the Netherlands during 1973-80 leukaemia was diagnosed in 293 patients aged under 15 years. An overall incidence rate of 2.91 per 100000 person years was calculated. No seasonal influence on months of birth or months of diagnosis of these patients could be traced by the method of Edwards. Time space clustering was looked for by both methods of Mantel and Knox. No significant time space clustering of date and place of diagnosis of childhood leukaemia was found in all types of leukaemia, acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL), ALL in boys and girls, ALL in children under 6 years at diagnosis, and in acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia.