Immunophenotype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in minorities- analysis from the SEER database

Elisa Quiroz1, Aparajit Ram Venkateswaran1, Rebecca Nelson2

  • 1Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California, USA.

Hematological Oncology
|November 12, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Latinos have a higher incidence of B-cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-ALL) compared to other ethnic groups. Black patients exhibit the lowest B-ALL rates but the highest T-cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (T-ALL) rates.

Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Epidemiology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) incidence varies among ethnic groups, with higher rates and poorer prognosis observed in Latino populations.
  • Existing research often fails to differentiate between B-cell ALL (B-ALL) and T-cell ALL (T-ALL) in Latino patients.
  • Understanding subtype-specific incidence is crucial for addressing ethnic disparities in ALL.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare the incidence rates of B-ALL and T-ALL across different racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
  • To analyze epidemiological variations in ALL subtypes using a large national database.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER-18) database for data from 2002 to 2017.
  • Calculated age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 person-years for Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs), Latinos, Blacks, and Asian-Pacific Islanders (APIs).
  • Focused on B-ALL and T-ALL subtypes, accounting for changes in diagnostic coding and cytogenetics.

Main Results:

  • The incidence rate of B-ALL was consistently higher in the Latino population compared to other groups, increasing from 1.0 to 2.5 per 100,000 between 2002 and 2017.
  • Black patients showed the lowest age-adjusted incidence rate of B-ALL.
  • Black patients had the highest age-adjusted incidence rate of T-ALL, recorded at 0.5 per 100,000.

Conclusions:

  • Significant ethnic disparities exist in the incidence of B-ALL and T-ALL within the United States.
  • Latinos exhibit a disproportionately high incidence of B-ALL, highlighting a critical area for targeted research and intervention.
  • Further investigation into the underlying causes of these ethnic variations in ALL subtypes is warranted.