Prevalence and Risk of Leukemia in the Multi-ethnic Population of North Karnataka

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the trends in the incidence rates of four major types ofleukemia in the population of North Karnataka, which accounts for the 2.5% of the whole population of India.Due to the lack of any nationwide leukemia screening program, the majority of the people are not aware of thedisease. Epidemiological study can play a vital role in understanding the occurrence and outcome of the disease.Patients and
Methods: Focusing on variables like age, sex, race, blood group and lifestyle habits, detailed reportsof 417 males and 230 females (M:F ratio 1.8:1) were collected from different hospitals of North Karnataka andanalyzed for their risk of leukemia.
Results: Compared to female patients, Hindu males were found to havegreater risk of occurrence of leukemia (p=0.0333). The males of scheduled caste (SC) and Lingayat communitiesshowed a high risk than other communities (p=0.000). The occurrence of AML showed a significant relationshipwith ABO blood groups (p=0.0090). The frequency of leukemia is quite high in Belgaum district when comparedto others districts of North Karnataka and totally absent in Bidar district. The reasons need precise molecularand genetical studies of the populaton.
Conclusions: The localized communities of Lingayat and SCs needs to befurther studied to get a better understanding for the higher risk of occurrence of leukemia in males. Moreover,since the spectrum of cancer epidemiology seen in India is different from that in developed countries moreemphasis should be placed on better development of regional and national registries.