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. 2012 Dec 15;59(7):1234-8.
doi: 10.1002/pbc.24194. Epub 2012 May 22.

Incidence and trends in Burkitt lymphoma in northern Tanzania from 2000 to 2009

Peter Aka  1 , Esther Kawira, Nestory Masalu, Benjamin Emmanuel, Glen Brubaker, Josiah Magatti, Sam M Mbulaiteye
Affiliations

Incidence and trends in Burkitt lymphoma in northern Tanzania from 2000 to 2009

Peter Aka et al. Pediatr Blood Cancer. .

Abstract

Introduction: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is endemic in parts of Tanzania, but there is scant country or region level data about burden and trends of BL in Tanzania over the past three decades. Here, we update baseline epidemiology of BL in northern Tanzania using recent data.

Procedure: Data for childhood BL diagnosed at six hospitals in Mara and Mwanza regions in northern Tanzania during 2000-2009 were compiled. Age, sex, and regional patterns were analyzed. Crude incidence rates of BL were calculated by sex, anatomic site, geographical region, and calendar year.

Results: Among 944 cases, 549 (58%) were male (male/female case ratio 1.4:1). Among those with known anatomic site (92%), facial only tumors represented a large proportion of tumors in boys than girls (50% vs. 36%, P < 0.002). Tumors occurred at a younger mean age in boys than girls (6.8 years vs. 7.6 years, P < 0.01). Crude BL incidence was 4.2 per 100,000, but varied by region (3.0 in Mwanza vs. 6.8 in Mara, P = 0.01), by district (1.4-22), by gender (5.0 in boys vs. 4.0 in girls), and by age group (2.0 in 0-4, 7.8 in 5-9, and 3.1 in 10-15 years). BL incidence peaked in 2001 and decreased gradually thereafter.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that male sex, young age, and geographical characteristics are risk factors for BL in Tanzania. BL incidence declined with calendar year, but the significance of this finding is uncertain. Well-designed epidemiological studies of BL in Tanzania may shed light on environmental characteristics underlying these patterns.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: Nothing to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Line graph showing the proportional distribution of anatomic site of Burkitt lymphoma (facial only, or abdominal, with or without, facial involvement) by calendar years (A) or by age in single years (B).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age specific burkitt lymphoma incidence rate for male and female by age group. (P-Values are for evaluation of the hypothesis that the incidence rate of BL in males is equal to that in females, not adjusted for multiple comparisons).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Crude district-specific Burkitt lymphoma incidence rates for Mara and Mwanza regions.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Crude district-specific Burkitt lymphoma incidence rates by calendar year for Mara Region and Mwanza Region.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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