Childhood leukemias are mostly acute, with the lymphocytic form predominating.
In both men and women, leukemia incidence is highest among whites and lowest among Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. Incidence rates are shown for all leukemia types combined, but it can be noted that the ethnic patterns are generally similar to those seen when incidence is calculated separately for the lymphocytic and non-lymphocytic forms of the disease. However, we found that childhood leukemia rates are highest among Filipinos, followed by white Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites and blacks. United States mortality rates are shown for all leukemia types combined. Leukemia mortality rates are highest in white and black populations and in Hawaiian men.