Mortality among pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Sweden from 1988 to 2017

The five-year overall survival rate among pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is higher than 90%, but long-term unselected nationwide mortality data and mortality data in relation to the general population are lacking. A retrospective cohort study in Sweden found that between 1988 and 2017 the mean incidence of pediatric ALL was 4.11 ± 0.60 per 100.000 person years per year, while the SMR among pediatric ALL patients versus the general population was 43.1 (95% CI 39.0-47.5). The study showed no significant differences in survival for male versus female patients, better survival for younger patients, and improved survival in more recent periods.