Geographical information system-based prevalence analysis of children’s leukemia in southwest Iran

Background. Climatic and geomorphological characteristics of a region are vital factors in the regional spread of diseases. Geographic Information System (GIS) is a useful tool for studying cancer epidemiology. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the prevalence of childhood leukemia in Khuzestan based on 10-year GIS data of temperature, wind speed and dust level. Methods. The medical characteristics of all cases of leukemia in children admitted to Bagai 2 Ahvaz Hospital, which were diagnosed with leukemia for the first time. We collected what was diagnosed. Results. Five hundred and twelve children had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 100 children had acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). The year 2015 had the highest and the year 2018 the lowest ALL rate. The peak of AML was in 2013 and the lowest was in 2018. Central cities had the highest mean particulate matter, temperature, wind speed, and the highest rate of leukemia. Conclusion. The results show that dust, temperature and wind speed are related to the prevalence of childhood leukemia in Khuzestan, Iran. Practical Implications. A wide range of environmental and genetic factors can play a role in the occurrence of cancer, so additional studies are needed to confirm the effect of particles and environmental factors such as temperature and dust on the occurrence of cancer