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Query: UMLS:C0023418 (leukemia)
 93,477 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

This paper reports on cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) recorded by a specialist registry of hematopoietic malignancies. The cases have been diagnosed since January 1, 1984, and originate from certain parts of the United Kingdom. The information is analyzed by age, sex, and area of residence at diagnosis. The age distribution shows a childhood peak but fails to show an adult peak previously reported in literature from abroad. At a broad geographic level the county of Cumbria is shown to display the highest rates of ALL in all ages both in the 3 years of formal analyses (1984-1986) and in the 2 recent years. The administrative districts of Copeland, Sedgemoor, and North Devon also show excesses in all ages with Copeland having the highest SRR and level of statistical significance. This is a new observation for Copeland, the district containing the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility in that the high rates are for all ages of ALL. These new data were not considered in earlier official reports about that area. A regression analysis at electoral ward level shows no statistically significant association but excesses of cases, which are mirrored in a larger "all leukemias" data set, occur in wards near estuaries (a new observation) and in the upper socioeconomic groups.
Leukemia 1989 Dec
PMID:The Leukaemia Research Fund Data Collection Study: descriptive epidemiology of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. 258 82

A retrospective cohort mortality study was conducted among 8375 white male employees who had worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for at least one month between 1943 and 1972. This plant has been the site of energy related research, including uranium and plutonium reactor technology and radioisotope production. Radiation doses, primarily from gamma rays, were generally low; the median cumulative exposure for workers was 0.16 rems. Historical follow up was conducted for the years 1943-77 and ascertainment of vital status was achieved for 92.3% of the cohort. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed to contrast the subjects' cause specific mortality experience with that of the United States white male population. The observed number of 966 deaths from all causes was 73% of the number expected. Mortality deficits were also seen for arteriosclerotic heart disease (SMR = 0.75; 344 observed) and all cancers (SMR = 0.78; 194 observed). These results are indicative of the healthy worker effect and the favourable influence on health of the cohort's relatively high socioeconomic status. Non-statistically significant raised SMRs were seen for all leukaemias (SMR = 1.49, 16 observed), cancer of the prostate (SMR = 1.16, 14 observed), and Hodgkin's disease (SMR = 1.10, 5 observed). Internal comparisons of mortality (standardised rate ratios, SRRs) were made between subgroups of the cohort according to radiation dose level and duration of employment in various job categories. No consistent gradients of cause specific mortality were detected for radiation exposure. Leukaemia mortality was highest among workers with greater than or equal to 10 years employment in engineering (SRR = 2.40) and maintenance (SRR = 3.12) jobs. The association of leukaemia with employment in engineering was unexpected; maintenance jobs entail potential exposures to radiation and to a wide range of organic chemicals; metals, and other substances.
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PMID:Radiation, work experience, and cause specific mortality among workers at an energy research laboratory. 401 3

The aim of this paper is to review the literature on the frequency of cancers to develop priorities for cancer policy, prevention, services and research for black and minority ethnic populations in Britain. Data on populations originating in the Indian sub-continent, and Caribbean and African Commonwealth were extracted from published works. Cancers were ranked (top seven) on the basis of the number of cases, actual frequency, and also on relative frequency (SMR, SRR, PMR). Cancer was found to be a common cause of death. For example, during 1979-83 the proportion of deaths resulting from neoplasms in immigrants living in England and Wales was 11% for Indian and African men aged 20-49, and 19% for Caribbeans. The corresponding proportions were higher among women. The pattern of cancer depended on the method used to assess rankings. On the basis of the number of cases the top 3 ranking cancers for adults were breast, long and neoplasms of the lymphatic system. Based on SMR's cancer of the gallbladder, liver and oral cavity ranked amongst the top 3 for adults. For children the top ranking cancers were acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, central nervous system tumours and neuroblastoma. Variations by ethnic group were more evident in the rankings of relative frequency than in rankings based on numbers of cases. In conclusion, the most common and preventable cancers among minority ethnic populations were the same as those for the general population. The different cancer pattern based on SMRs highlight additional needs and provide potential models for research into understanding the causes of these cancers. Health services policy and practice should ensure that the common and preventable cancers take priority over rare cancers and those for which there is no effective treatment or prevention. Priorities for policy, prevention, clinical care and research should be set separately, for they differ.
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PMID:Cancer in minority ethnic populations: priorities from epidemiological data. 878 95