Sex- and Age-Adjusted Incidence and Prevalence Population-Based Estimation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Korea From 2011 to 2019

OBJECTIVES: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a fatal orphan disease with limited epidemiology data. This study estimated AML incidence and prevalence to investigate group-specific and overall estimates and their trends.

METHODS: A longitudinal retrospective cohort study using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data covering the entire population in Korea with AML from 2008 to 2019 was performed. The primary incident AML patients were defined with the first diagnosis of AML (ICD-10 code: C92-96) between 2011 and 2019, without any primary and secondary AML history during the 3-year washout period. The prevalent AML patients were defined with at least one AML diagnosis coded insurance claim. Annual incidence rate per person-years at-risk and one-year prevalence proportion per person-years were calculated per 100,000 persons for the overall population, stratified sex and age subpopulations, and sex- and age-standardized overall estimates. We applied direct standardization using the Korean population in 2011 as the standard population.

RESULTS: The crude incidence rates were 1.91 in 2011 and 2.03 in 2019, with a minimal non-monotonical increase. However, the standardized incidence rates were 1.94 in 2011 and 1.77 in 2019, with non-significant changes. Male had approximately 20% higher incidence, and the male population with age≥70 showed the highest estimates, which were 8-folds greater than that of the youngest female population with the lowest incidence. The crude prevalence proportions were increased from 8.53 to 9.99 in 2009 and 2019, respectively. The standardized prevalence showed similar upward trends from 8.93 to 9.65 in 2011 and 2019, respectively. Male with 70≤age≤79 showed the highest prevalence proportions, which were 4-folds greater than the youngest female population. Stratified estimations differed by age and gender.

CONCLUSIONS: Our finding confirmed that the ageing population are more vulnerable to AML, and prevalence was in the actual increasing trend, but the incidence rates were steady during the observed period.