Leukemia Rates by Race and Ethnicity
Incidence of Leukemia by Race and Ethnicity
"Incidence rate" means how many people out of a given number get leukemia each year. The graph below shows how many people out of 100,000 got leukemia each year during the years 1975–2005. The year 2005 is the most recent year for which numbers have been reported. The leukemia incidence rate is grouped by race and ethnicity.
For example, you can see that white people had the highest incidence rate for leukemia. Black people had the second highest incidence of getting leukemia, followed by Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander people.
Leukemia
SEER Incidence Rates* by Race and Ethnicity, U.S., 1975–2005
Incidence source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, National Cancer Institute (NCI) 1975–1991 = SEER 9; 1992–2005 = SEER 13.
*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130). Rates for American Indians/Alaska Natives are not displayed because fewer than 16 cases were reported for at least one year within the time interval.
‡Hispanics are not mutually exclusive from whites, blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Incidence data for Hispanics are based on NHIA and exclude cases from the Alaska Native Registry.
Deaths from Leukemia by Race and Ethnicity
From 1975–2005, the rate of people dying from leukemia has varied, depending on their race and ethnicity. The graph below shows that in 2005, white people were more likely to die of leukemia than any other group. Black people had the second highest rate of deaths from leukemia, followed by people who are Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander.
Leukemia
U.S. Death Rates* by Race and Ethnicity, 1975–2005
Mortality source: U.S. Mortality Files, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC.
*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130).
†Rates for American Indians/Alaska Natives are based on the CHSDA (Contract Health Service Delivery Area) counties.
‡Hispanics are not mutually exclusive from whites, blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Mortality data for Hispanics do not include cases from Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Vermont.
References
1U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.
2Jemal A, Thun MJ, Ries LA, Howe HL, Weir HK, Center MM, Ward E, Wu XC, Eheman C, Anderson R, Ajani UA, Kohler B, Edwards BK. Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975–2005, featuring trends in lung cancer, tobacco use, and tobacco control. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2008;100(23):1672–1694.
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