ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to identify the tendency of acute leukemia among children in Mexico City from 1982 to 1991. A hospital survey was performed. Medical records of children under 15 years of age with a diagnosis of acute leukemia were reviewed. The cases were chosen from hospitals which provide medical attention to children with cancer in Mexico City. The annual incidence rate (AIR) was calculated in general, by sex, age groups (under 1 year of age, from 1 to 4 years, 5 to 9 years and 10 to 14 years) and standardized with the world population. The trend was evaluated with Sperman's correlation method. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia showed a significantly increasing trend during the study period. The AIR was 7.75 (per million) in 1982 and 22.19 (per million) in 1991. For age groups a tendency to increase was observed in female of age group 1 to 4 years and in males of age group 10 to 14 years. Acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia did not display a specific trend. In conclusion, acute lymphoblastic leukemia shows a tendency to increase in the children of Mexico City