Breast-feeding and risk of childhood acute leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Breast-feeding is well known to have a protective effect against infection in infants. Although the long-term effects of breast-feeding on childhood cancer have not been studied extensively, a protective effect against childhood Hodgkin's disease and lymphoma has been suggested previously from small investigations. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that breast-feeding decreases the risk of childhood acute leukemia. METHODS: A total of 1744 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 1879 matched control subjects, aged 1-14 years, and 456 children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 539 matched control subjects, aged 1-17 years, were included in the analysis. Information regarding breast-feeding was obtained through telephone interviews with mothers. All leukemias combined, histologic type of leukemia (ALL versus AML), immunophenotype of ALL (early pre-B cell, pre-B cell, or T cell), and morphology of AML were assessed separately in the data analysis. RESULTS: Ever having breast-fed was found to be associated with a 21% reduction in risk of childhood acute leukemias (odds ratio [OR] for all types combined = 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70-0.91). A reduction in risk was seen separately for AML (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.57-1.03) and ALL (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.69-0.93). The inverse associations were stronger with longer duration of breast-feeding for total ALL and AML; for M0, M1, and M2 morphologic subtypes of AML; and for early pre-B-cell ALL. CONCLUSION: In this study, breast-feeding was associated with a reduced risk of childhood acute leukemia. If confirmed in additional epidemiologic studies, our findings suggest that future epidemiologic and experimental efforts should be directed at investigating the anti-infective and/or immune-stimulatory or immune-modulating effects of breast-feeding on leukemogenesis in children.     

A case–control study on family history of liver cancer as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in North Italy

Objectives: We carried out a case–control study to investigate the role of history of liver cancer in a first-degree relative as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: Two hundred eighty-seven HCC incident cases and 450 subjects unaffected by liver disease (controls) were enrolled in the study. Family history of liver cancer and other malignancies and history of alcohol intake were collected by face-to-face interview. Blood samples were analyzed for HBsAg, anti-HCV and HCV RNA positivity.Results: Family history of liver cancer was associated with HCC (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2–4.7), whereas family history of other malignancies was not (OR = 1.0; 95% CI = 0.6–1.5). An increased OR for family history of liver cancer was found among subjects negative for the other risk factors (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 0.6–6.9). A synergism of family history of liver cancer was also evident with hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection and with heavy alcohol intake.Conclusions: This study suggests a role of family history independent from and interacting with known risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Parental cigarette smoking and the risk of acute leukemia in children

BACKGROUND: Studies of the relation between parental smoking and childhood leukemia have produced inconsistent results. In the largest case-control studies of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) conducted to date, the authors evaluated leukemia risk relative to parental self-report of cigarette smoking. METHODS: In telephone interviews in which a structured questionnaire was used, parents of 1842 ALL patients, 517 AML patients, and their matched controls were asked about their cigarette smoking habits before, during, and after the pregnancy with the index child. Risk of leukemia was examined by histologic type, age of the child at diagnosis, immunophenotype (for ALL), and French-American-British morphology group (for AML). RESULTS: The risk of ALL was not associated with the father's ever having smoked (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-1.20) or the mother's ever having smoked (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.91-1.19). Similarly, no significant risk of AML was observed for paternal (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.67-1.16) or maternal smoking (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.74-1.22). The relative risk of leukemia was not significantly different from the null for parental smoking in any time period during or around the index pregnancy, nor was it related to the number of cigarettes, the number of years of smoking, or the number of pack-years. A small number of sporadic, statistically significant associations were found, but overall there appeared to be no association between parental cigarette smoking and ALL or AML, or any subgroup of leukemia. CONCLUSIONS: Parental smoking while pregnant or exposure to cigarette smoke shortly after birth is unlikely to contribute substantially to the risk of childhood leukemia in North America.     

Periconceptional vitamin useand leukemia risk in children with Down syndrome: a Children's Oncology Group study

BACKGROUND: Periconceptional vitamin supplementation reduces the risk of neural tube defects, and possibly may reduce the risk of certain childhood malignancies, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Because children with Down syndrome (DS) experience a 20-fold higher risk of leukemia than the general population, the authors evaluated whether periconceptional vitamin supplementation reduced the risk of leukemia in children with DS. METHODS: From 1997 to 2002, 158 children ages birth-18 years with DS and acute leukemia (n = 61 children with acute myeloid leukemia [AML] and n = 97 children with ALL) were enrolled through the Children's Oncology Group in North America. Children with DS alone (n = 173) were identified through the cases' pediatric clinics and frequency matched to cases on age. Mothers of cases and controls completed a telephone interview that included questions regarding vitamin supplement use in the periconceptional period and after knowledge of pregnancy. RESULTS: A decreased risk of leukemia was observed with vitamin supplementation in the periconceptional period (odds ratio [OR] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.39-1.00). When stratified by leukemia type, the reduced risk was observed for ALL (OR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30-0.89), but not for AML (OR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.48-1.76). Compared with vitamin use in the periconceptional period, use only after knowledge of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of leukemia (OR = 1.61; 95% CI, 1.00-2.58). This was observed for both ALL and AML. CONCLUSIONS: These data added to a growing body of evidence that suggests that periconceptional vitamin use may be protective in the development of certain childhood cancers.     

The effect of atopy,childhood crowding,and other immune-related factors on non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk

Objective Since adult immune responsiveness is influenced by early childhood exposures, we examined the role of family size, history of atopic disease, and other childhood immune-related exposures in a multi-center case–control study of NHL. Methods Interviews were completed with 1,321 cases ascertained from population-based cancer registries in Seattle, Detroit, Los Angeles and Iowa, and with 1,057 frequency-matched controls, selected by random-digit dialing and from the Medicare files database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate risk. Results A history of any allergy (excluding drug allergies), decreased risk of all NHL (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.7, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.6–1.0), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBCL] (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4–0.9), and follicular NHL (OR = 0.7, 95 CI = 0.5, 1.0). A similar effect was observed for hay fever. A history of eczema was associated with an increased risk of follicular lymphoma (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1–3.4), but not DLBCL (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.6–2.0). Asthma did not affect risk. Youngest compared to oldest siblings had a 90% increased risk of DLBCL (95% CI = 1.2–3.1; p for trend with increasing birth order = 0.006), but not follicular lymphoma (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.6–1.8). Conclusions We infer that some childhood and immune-related factors may alter NHL risk.     

Risk of colorectal cancer in self-reported inflammatory bowel disease and modification of risk by statin and NSAID use

BACKGROUND:

Statins and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in some studies. The objective of this study was to quantify the relative risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a risk factor for CRC and to estimate whether this risk may be modified by long‐term use of NSAIDs or statins.

METHODS:

The Molecular Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer study is a population‐based, case‐control study of incident colorectal cancer in northern Israel and controls matched by age, sex, clinic, and ethnicity. Personal histories of IBD and medication use were measured by structured, in‐person interview. The relative risk of IBD and effect modification by statins and NSAIDs were quantified by conditional and unconditional logistic regression.

RESULTS:

Among 1921 matched pairs of CRC cases and controls, a self‐reported history of IBD was associated with a 1.9‐fold increased risk of CRC (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12‐3.26). Long‐term statin use was associated with a reduced risk of both IBD‐associated CRC (odds ratio [OR] = 0.07; 95% CI, 0.01‐0.78) and non‐IBD CRC (OR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.39‐0.62). Stratified analysis suggested that statins may be more protective among those with IBD (ratio of OR = 0.14; 95% CI, 0.01‐1.31; P = .51), although not statistically significant. NSAID use in patients with a history of IBD was suggestive of reduced risk of CRC but did not reach statistical significance (OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.12‐1.86).

CONCLUSIONS:

The risk of CRC was elevated 1.9‐fold in patients with IBD. Long‐term statin use was associated with reduced risk of CRC in patients with IBD. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.     

Case–control study on the therapy of childhood cancer and the occurrence of second malignant neoplasms in Germany

We report on a nested case–control study with 328 cases with second malignant neoplasm (SMN) following childhood cancer and 639 matched controls based on the German Childhood Cancer Registry. In the adjusted overall analysis, the odds ratio (OR) for SMN following any radiotherapy or chemotherapy is 2.1 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8–3.3] and 1.8 (95% CI: 0.98–3.1), respectively. The strongest effect is seen for alkylating agents (OR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.2–3.3). The risk of SMN after leukemia is pronounced for antimetabolites (OR=17.2, 95% CI: 1.7–177) and asparaginase (OR=4.3, 95% CI: 1.7–11.0). Following solid tumors, the greatest effect is seen for platinum derivatives (OR=4.1, 95% CI: 1.7–10.1). For anthracyclines, a decreased risk is observed (OR=0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.6). Secondary solid tumors are mainly associated with radiotherapy (OR=4.5, 95% CI: 2.5–8.0), especially secondary carcinomas. Secondary acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome are mainly associated with alkylating agents (OR=8.5, 95% CI: 0.97–74.8), asparaginase (OR=6.8, 95% CI: 2.3–20.6), and platinum derivatives (OR=4.5, 95% CI: 1.5–13.6). The observed risks are in many instances lower than the ones published in previous studies relating to earlier treatment eras of the primary diseases. These differences may be attributed to less toxic but still effective treatment regimes but also to differences in the length of follow-up. Institution in which the work was performed: German Childhood Cancer Registry, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz     

Reproductive and hormonal risk factors for thyroid cancer in Los Angeles County females.

We conducted an individually matched case-control study (292 pairs) of female thyroid cancer patients to examine the role of reproductive history and exogenous hormones in this disease. Radiation treatment to the head or neck [28 cases and 2 controls exposed; odds ratio (OR), 14.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.5-121.3] and certain benign thyroid diseases (including adolescent thyroid enlargement, goiter, and nodules or tumors) were strongly associated with thyroid cancer. Irregular menstruation increased risk (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9-3.7). Age at menarche and pregnancy history were not related to disease. Women with natural menopause and hysterectomized women without oophorectomy had no increase in risk, but disease risk was elevated in women with bilateral oophorectomy (OR, 6.5; 95% CI, 1.1-38.1). In general, use of oral contraceptives and other exogenous estrogens was not associated with thyroid cancer. However, risk increased with number of pregnancies in women using lactation suppressants (P = 0.03) and decreased with duration of breastfeeding (P = 0.04). These data provide only limited support for the hypothesis that reproductive and hormonal exposures are responsible for the marked excess of thyroid cancer risk in adult females.     

河南省林州市食管鳞癌及癌前病变的影响因素研究

[目的]探讨河南省林州市食管鳞癌及癌前病变的影响因素。[方法]按照性别、年龄进行1∶1∶1匹配的原则,选取2019年5~10月在林州市食管癌医院就诊的新发食管鳞癌患者、新发中重度食管鳞状上皮异型增生患者和正常对照匹配成33个区组作为研究对象。对入组的研究对象进行问卷调查,收集其人口学、生活方式等信息,采用多元有序Logistic回归对食管鳞癌及癌前病变的影响因素进行统计学分析。[结果]单因素分析结果显示,教育程度,饮用水来源,吸烟,饮酒,饮茶,食用西兰花、大蒜、酸菜、烟熏制品,劳动强度,消化道疾病史,食管癌家族史与食管鳞癌及癌前病变发生有关(P<0.05)。多元有序Logistic回归结果显示,教育程度(小学:OR=2.128,95%CI:1.116~3.187;中学及以上:OR=1.960,95%CI:1.080~2.759),饮用浅层地下水、井水(OR=3.595,95%CI:1.051~7.130),现在吸烟(OR=2.027,95%CI:1.435~5.193),经常食用酸菜(OR=2.520,95%CI:1.030~4.498),经常食用烟熏制品(OR=1.312,95%CI:1.089~1.739),有消化道疾病史(OR=2.277,95%CI:1.038~2.828)是食管鳞癌及癌前病变的独立危险因素,而经常食用西兰花(OR=0.520,95%CI:0.031~0.855)是独立保护因素。[结论]在林州市,生活方式、饮食习惯和消化道病史均可影响食管鳞癌及癌前病变的发生,有其地域特点,应针对相关影响因素采取相应的预防措施。     

Atopic disease and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Our objective was to test the hypothesis that the risk of childhood leukemia is associated with allergies or a family history of allergy. We used a German population-based case-control study with self-reported information on allergies of the children and their first-degree relatives. Our study included a total of 1,130 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 164 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 2,957 controls. A major finding of our study is that hay fever, neurodermatitis and contact eczema are underrepresented within the group of children with ALL, with respective odds ratios (OR) of 0.45 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31-0.66) for hay fever, of 0.49 (CI 0.34-0.71) for neurodermatitis and of 0.62 (CI 0.39-0.99) for eczema, respectively. Atopic diseases, comprising hay fever, neurodermatitis and asthma, are much stronger related with a reduced risk of ALL than other allergies (OR 0.52, CI 0.40-0.67 vs. OR 0.89, CI 0.66-1.21). The strongest association is seen with an atopy in the index child; however, ALL risk is also reduced if one of the parents or a sibling had an atopic disease. No such consistent pattern is seen for AML. Our data suggest that atopy or a family history of atopy are associated with a reduced risk of childhood ALL. Recall bias remains a concern, but sensitivity analysis provided some evidence that the protective effect is unlikely to be attributable to this bias in its entirety.     

Reproductive history, infertility treatment, and the risk of acute leukemia in children with down syndrome: a report from the Children's Oncology Group

BACKGROUND: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have from 10 to 20 times the risk of developing acute leukemia than the general pediatric population. There is mixed evidence for associations between reproductive history or infertility and acute leukemia among children without DS. METHODS: The authors conducted a case-control study of acute leukemia among children with DS to investigate possible risk factors in this population. From 1997 to 2002, 158 children aged <20 years with DS who had a diagnosis of acute leukemia (97 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] and 61 children with acute myeloid leukemia [AML]) were enrolled at Children's Oncology Group (COG) institutions. Controls with DS (n = 173) were selected from the cases' primary care clinic and frequency matched to cases on age. Telephone interviews were conducted with mothers of cases and controls assessing reproductive history, infertility, and infertility treatment. RESULTS: Null results were observed overall and by subtype for reproductive factors, including previous pregnancy outcomes and contraceptive use, and for most infertility outcomes. There was an increased risk of AML among children with DS whose parents had ever tried for >/=1 year to become pregnant (odds ratio [OR], 2.22; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.14-4.33). A 1-year increase in maternal age also was associated with AML (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.12). CONCLUSIONS: Although the questionnaire was limited in this area, the results suggested that the risk for AML may be raised in children with DS because of infertility. In that the risk of infertility, along with having a child with DS, increase with age, these results warrant more research.     

Family cancer history and risk of childhood acute leukemia (France)

OBJECTIVE: A case-control study was carried out to investigate the role of a family history of solid tumor or hematologic neoplasm in the etiology of childhood acute leukemia. METHODS: Family cancer history in first- and second-degree relatives was compared in 279 incident cases (242 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia and 37 of acute myeloid leukemia) and 285 controls. Recruitment was stratified by age, gender, hospital, area of residence, and ethnic origin. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using an unconditional regression model taking into account the stratification variables, socioeconomic status, and familial structure. RESULTS: A significant association between childhood acute leukemia and a family history of hematologic neoplasm (OR = 2.7, confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-6.9) was found. This association was particularly clear-cut when the cases were restricted to acute myeloid leukemia (OR = 13.3, CI = 2.5-70.9). Childhood acute leukemia was associated with a family history of solid tumor (OR = 1.5, CI = 1.0-2.2), and elevated odds ratios were observed for family history of gastrointestinal cancer and melanoma. Those results are most unlikely to be explained by socioeconomic status and familial structure, which were very similar for the cases and controls. Differential misclassification is also unlikely for the first-degree relatives, even though it is difficult to rule it out for the second-degree relatives' history. CONCLUSION: The present study supports the hypothesis that a family history of cancer may be a risk factor for childhood acute leukemia.     

Never smokers and lung cancer risk: a case-control study of epidemiological factors

We performed an analysis of potential epidemiological risk factors for lung cancer using data from 280 cases and 242 hospital-based controls, all lifetime never smokers (those who had smoked <100 cigarettes in their lifetimes) and frequency matched on age, gender and ethnicity. The data on demographic characteristics, medical history of respiratory diseases (asthma, emphysema, pneumonia and hay fever), weight and height, family history, female characteristics and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and dust exposure were derived from personal interviews. We performed a logistic regression analysis of these variables adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, income and years of education. Exposure to ETS (OR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.25-3.43]) and dusts (OR = 2.43, 95% CI [1.53-3.88]) were associated with significantly increased risk. In the analysis for joint effects, exposure to both ETS and dusts conferred a higher risk (OR = 3.25, 95% CI [1.58-6.70]) than exposure to either alone. Family history of any cancer with onset before age 50 in at least 1 first degree relative was a significant risk predictor (OR = 1.70, 95% CI [1.10-2.64]). Individuals with a self-reported physician-diagnosed history of hay fever, but not asthma, had a decreased lung cancer risk (OR = 0.57, 95% CI [0.35-0.92]). In the multivariate analysis, exposure to ETS and dusts, and family history of cancer with onset before age 50 were significant risk factors, while a history of hay fever (occurring without asthma) was significantly protective.     

Polymorphisms XRCC1-R399Q and XRCC3-T241M and the risk of breast cancer at the Ontario site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry.

This study investigates the role of two nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair genes, X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1)-R399Q and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3)-T241M, in breast cancer. Incident cases of invasive breast cancer in Caucasian women [n = 402, mean age = 45.7 (SD = 6.2) years] and female Caucasian controls [n = 402, mean age = 45.2 (6.5) years] frequency matched on 5-year age intervals were identified from the Ontario Familial Breast Cancer Registry. No evidence for a main effect of the XRCC1-R399Q genotype on breast cancer risk was observed. Estimates of risk for a family history (FH) of breast cancer compared with no FH differed by XRCC1-R399Q genotype (P value for interaction = 0.001). Homozygote XRCC1-399 R/R individuals and FH+ were at a 2.92-fold [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.47-5.79] increased risk of disease compared with FH- individuals; the estimate of risk increased for R/Q heterozygotes with FH+ [odds ratio (OR) = 3.85, 95% CI = 1.94-7.65] but not for Q/Q homozygotes with FH+ (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.20-1.47) compared with homozygous R/R and FH- individuals. A marginal positive association for XRCC3-241 M/M compared with T/T genotype was found (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 0.94-2.19), but the heterozygous T/M was not associated with an increase in risk (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.71-1.32). There was also some evidence for a combined effect of body mass index and XRCC3-T241M on estimates of risk. Our results suggest that these polymorphisms may influence breast cancer risk by modifying the effect of risk factors such as FH. There is a need for further study into the role of these polymorphisms as effect modifiers.     

Reproductive factors and colon cancer: the influences of age,tumor site,and family history on risk (Utah,United States)

The Utah (United States) Population Database was used to evaluate the associations between reproductive factors and colon cancer risk and the impact that family history, age at diagnosis, and tumor site have on these associations. From the cohort of (White) women in the database, all first-primary cases of colon cancer (n=819) and controls who had complete fertility information (n=3, 202) were examined. The majority of tumors (68.6 percent) among women diagnosed at age 64 years or less were in the distal segment of the colon, while among women 65 or older, the majority of tumors (55.7 percent) were proximal. Women diagnosed before age 65 had a lower risk of colon cancer with increasing numbers of liveborn children (odds ratio [OR]=0.6, 95 percent confidence interval [CI]=0.3–0.9 for women with five or more children compared with women with one or two children). A long interval between first and second births (first birth-interval) was associated with increased risk of tumors in the distal segment of the colon (OR=1.4, CI=1.0–2.0) and among women diagnosed before age 65 (OR=1.6, CI=1.0–2.5); a longer, average birth-interval was associated with increased risk of proximal tumors (OR=1.5, CI=1.1–2.1). A longer, first birth-interval increased the risk associated with a family history of colon cancer, as did a longer average birth-interval and an older age at first or last birth. From these data, it appears that reproductive factors have heterogeneous effects on the risk of colon cancer that vary with age at diagnosis, tumor site, and family history of disease.This study was supported by grant and contract numbers CA48998 and CN0552 from the US National Cancer Institute. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute.     

Family history of autoimmune thyroid disease and childhood acute leukemia.

The association between a familial history of autoimmune disease and childhood acute leukemia was investigated in a French case-control study that, overall, was designed to assess the role of perinatal, infectious, environmental, and genetic factors in the etiology of childhood acute leukemia. Familial histories of autoimmune disease in first- and second-degree relatives were compared in 279 incident cases, 240 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and 39 cases of acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), and 285 controls. Recruitment was frequency matched by age, gender, hospital, and ethnic origin. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using an unconditional regression model taking into account the stratification variables, socioeconomic status, and familial structure. A statistically significant association between a history of autoimmune disease in first- or second-degree relatives and ALL (OR, 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-2.8) was found. A relationship between thyroid diseases overall and ALL (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-3.9) was observed. This association was more pronounced for potentially autoimmune thyroid diseases (Grave's disease and/or hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto's disease and/or hypothyroidism) (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1-10.7 and OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.0-31.1, respectively for ALL and ANLL), whereas it was not statistically significant for the other thyroid diseases (thyroid goiter, thyroid nodule, and unspecified thyroid disorders) (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.7-3.5 and OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.2-7.0, respectively, for ALL and ANLL). The results suggest that a familial history of autoimmune thyroid disease may be associated with childhood acute leukemia.     

Familial history of cancer and childhood acute leukemia: a French population-based case-control study.

A case-control study was conducted to investigate the role of a familial history of cancer in the etiology of childhood acute leukemia. The history of cancer in the relatives of 472 cases was compared with that of 567 population-based controls. Recruitment was frequency matched on age, sex and region. The familial history of cancer in each child's relatives was reported by the mother in response to a standardized self-administered questionnaire. A familial history of solid tumor in first or second-degree relatives was associated with an increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (odds ratio (OR)=1.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.1]), while a familial history of hematopoietic malignancies in first or second-degree relatives was associated with an increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (OR=4.3 [1.4-13]). The ORs for the histories of cancer increased with the number of relatives with cancer (OR=1.5 [1.1-2.0] for one relative and OR=2.3 [1.3-3.8] for two relatives or more; Ptrend<0.0001). Significant associations between childhood acute leukemia and familial history of genital cancers and brain tumor were also observed (OR=2.7 [1.2-5.8] and OR=10.7 [1.3-86], respectively). This study supports the hypothesis that a familial history of cancer may play a role in the etiology of childhood acute leukemia. It also evidences some specific associations that require further investigation.     

Multiple myeloma and family history of cancer among blacks and whites in the U.S.

BACKGROUND: In the U.S., the incidence rate of multiple myeloma is more than twice as high for blacks as for whites, but the etiology of this malignancy is not well understood. METHODS: A population-based case-control interview study of 565 subjects (361 white, 204 black) with multiple myeloma and 2104 controls (1150 white, 954 black) living in 3 areas of the U.S. offered the opportunity to explore whether family history, of cancer contributes to the risk of multiple myeloma and explains the racial disparity in risk. RESULTS: For both races combined, the risk of multiple myeloma was significantly elevated for subjects who reported that a first-degree relative had multiple myeloma (odds ratio [OR] = 3.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-12.0). Increased risk was also associated with a family history of any hematolymphoproliferative (HLP) cancer (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.0-2.8), especially in a sibling (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.1-4.5). The risk associated with familial occurrence of HLP cancer was higher for blacks than for whites, but the difference between the ORs was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These data are consistent with previous studies that indicate a familial risk of multiple myeloma, but they explain little of the race-related difference in incidence rates.     

Sexually transmitted diseases and other urogenital conditions as risk factors for prostate cancer: a case–control study in Wayne County,Michigan

Objective To investigate associations between prostate cancer and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and vasectomy in a population-based case–control study in Wayne County, Michigan, among African American and white men aged 50–74 years.Methods: Incident prostate cancer cases (n=700) from 1996–1998 were identified from the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System. Controls (n=604) were identified through random digit dialing and Medicare recipient lists, and frequency matched to cases on age and race. History of potential prostate cancer risk factors was ascertained through in-person interview.Results: Prostate cancer was not associated with STD or vasectomy history. History of prostatitis was associated with prostate cancer among all subjects (odds ratio [OR]=1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 2.9) and in African American men (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.1, 4.6). History of BPH was associated with prostate cancer among all subjects (OR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.8, 3.3); significant associations were observed in both African American (OR=2.7, 95% CI: 1.6, 4.4) and white (OR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.5, 3.4) men.Conclusions: Among all subjects, prostate cancer was associated with prostatitis and BPH history, but not with STD or vasectomy history. Prevention efforts could be enhanced if inflammatory or infectious etiologies are found to be of importance in the subsequent development of prostate cancer.