The incidence of acute myeloid leukemia in Calgary, Alberta, Canada: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: The incidence rate of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was determined in the Calgary Metropolitan Area, a major Canadian city. METHODS: Data from all patients diagnosed with AML between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015 were retrieved from a single, centralized cancer cytogenetics laboratory for bone marrow samples, the sole diagnostic facility of its kind in Southern Alberta. RESULTS: The calculated incidence rate was 2.79 cases per 100,000 person-years with a median age of 60, slightly lower than previously published data. The age-standardized incidence rate for Canada was 3.46 cases per 100,000 person-years. The higher value is reflective of Calgary’s younger population compared to the rest of Canada. Higher male incidence and greatest incidence occurring at approximately the age of 85 is similar to data from other developed countries. The lower incidence rates and median age of diagnosis, in comparison with that of other high-income nations, may be due to differences in the proportion of aging citizens in the population. CONCLUSION: This is the first published incidence rate of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in Canada across all age groups.