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Finding Cancer Statistics » Cancer Stat Fact Sheets »Acute Myeloid Leukemia

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It is estimated that 13,290 men and women (7,200 men and 6,090 women) will be diagnosed with and 8,820 men and women will die of acute myeloid leukemia in 20081.

The following information is based on NCI’s SEER Cancer Statistics Review2.

Incidence & Mortality

SEER Incidence

From 2001-2005, the median age at diagnosis for acute myeloid leukemia was 67 years of age3. Approximately 6.3% were diagnosed under age 20; 6.3% between 20 and 34; 6.8% between 35 and 44; 10.9% between 45 and 54; 14.8% between 55 and 64; 21.1% between 65 and 74; 24.6% between 75 and 84; and 9.2% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted incidence rate was 3.6 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on cases diagnosed in 2001-2005 from 17 SEER geographic areas.

Incidence Rates by Race
Race/EthnicityMaleFemale
All Races4.5 per 100,000 men2.9 per 100,000 women
White4.6 per 100,000 men3.0 per 100,000 women
Black3.8 per 100,000 men2.6 per 100,000 women
Asian/Pacific Islander 3.7 per 100,000 men2.5 per 100,000 women
American Indian/Alaska Native a1.9 per 100,000 men2.4 per 100,000 women
Hispanic b3.5 per 100,000 men2.6 per 100,000 women

US Mortality

From 2001-2005, the median age at death for acute myeloid leukemia was 72 years of age4. Approximately 2.6% died under age 20; 3.4% between 20 and 34; 4.3% between 35 and 44; 8.3% between 45 and 54; 14.8% between 55 and 64; 25.0% between 65 and 74; 30.6% between 75 and 84; and 10.9% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted death rate was 2.8 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on patients who died in 2001-2005 in the US.

Death Rates by Race
Race/EthnicityMaleFemale
All Races 3.6 per 100,000 men2.2 per 100,000 women
White3.7 per 100,000 men2.3 per 100,000 women
Black2.6 per 100,000 men1.8 per 100,000 women
Asian/Pacific Islander 2.3 per 100,000 men1.4 per 100,000 women
American Indian/Alaska Native a1.8 per 100,000 men1.8 per 100,000 women
Hispanic b2.3 per 100,000 men1.4 per 100,000 women

Trends in Rates

Trends in rates can be described in many ways. Information for trends over a fixed period of time, for example 1995-2005, can be evaluated by the annual percentage change (APC) (See Fast Stats for trends over fixed time intervals). If there is a negative sign before the number, the trend is a decrease; otherwise it is an increase. If there is an asterisk after the APC then the trend was significant, that is, one believes that it is beyond chance, i.e. 95% sure, that the increase or decrease is real over the period 1995-2005. If the trend is not significant, the trend is usually reported as stable or level. Joinpoint analyses can be used over a long period of time to evaluate when changes in the trend have occurred along with the APC which shows how much the trend has changed between each of the joinpoints.

The joinpoint trend in SEER cancer incidence with associated APC(%) for acute myeloid leukemia between 1975-2005
All Races
Male and FemaleMaleFemale
TrendPeriodTrendPeriodTrendPeriod
-1.1*1975-1988-0.7*1975-1991-1.3*1975-1987
2.2*1988-20002.4*1991-20012.2*1987-2000
-3.2*2000-2005-5.7*2001-2005-2.42000-2005

The joinpoint trend in US cancer mortality with associated APC(%) for acute myeloid leukemia between 1975-2005
All Races
Male and FemaleMaleFemale
TrendPeriodTrendPeriodTrendPeriod
-1.4*1975-1989-0.11975-1981-1.4*1975-1989
1.4*1989-1998-2.5*1981-19881.2*1989-1998
3.91998-20011.9*1988-20053.61998-2001
0.12001-2005  -0.62001-2005

Survival

Survival rates can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival rates presented here are based on the relative survival rate, which measures the survival of the cancer patients in comparison to the general population to estimate the effect of cancer. The overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1996-2004 from 17 SEER geographic areas was 21.9%. Five-year relative survival rates by race and sex were: 20.0% for white men; 22.7% for white women; 26.2% for black men; 21.0% for black women. (See Fast Stats for more detailed statistics)

Lifetime Risk

Based on rates from 2003-2005, 0.37% of men and women born today will be diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at some time during their lifetime. This number can also be expressed as 1 in 274 men and women will be diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia during their lifetime. These statistics are called the lifetime risk of developing cancer. Sometimes it is more useful to look at the probability of developing acute myeloid leukemia between two age groups. For example, 0.13% of men will develop acute myeloid leukemia between their 50th and 70th birthdays compared to 0.09% for women. (See Fast Stats for more detailed statistics, and Probability of Developing and Dying of Cancer for methodology)


References

All statistics in this report are based on SEER incidence and NCHS mortality statistics. Most can be found within:

Ries LAG, Melbert D, Krapcho M, Stinchcomb DG, Howlader N, Horner MJ, Mariotto A, Miller BA, Feuer EJ, Altekruse SF, Lewis DR, Clegg L, Eisner MP, Reichman M, Edwards BK (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2005, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2005/, based on November 2007 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, 2008.
 
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