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The role of family history in risk of childhood brain tumors
Author(s) -
Gold Ellen B.,
Leviton Alan,
Lopez Ricardo,
Austin Donald F.,
Gilles Floyd H.,
Tessa HedleyWhyte E.,
Kolonel Laurence N.,
Lyon Joseph L.,
Marie Swanson G.,
Weiss Noel S.,
West Dee W.,
Aschenbrener Carol
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19940215)73:4<1302::aid-cncr2820730428>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - medicine , family history , medulloblastoma , brain tumor , odds ratio , astrocytoma , pediatrics , epidemiology , population , glioma , pathology , environmental health , cancer research
Background . Although brain tumors are the second most frequent malignancy in children, relatively little is known about the role of family history in risk of these tumors. Methods . Children under the age of 18 years (n = 361) in whom primary brain tumors were diagnosed were identified from eight United States population‐based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries and compared to matched controls (n = 1083) identified by random‐digit dialing. Information regarding family history of birth defects or tumors was obtained, along with data on other potential risk factors, from interviews with the mothers and fathers of the index children. Results . No significant differences were found in family history of epilepsy. However, moderate elevations in risk were observed for a history of birth defects in maternal relatives, particularly for female propositi. Significantly more mothers (odds ratio [OR] = 1.63, 95% confidence limits [CL] = 1.03, 2.57) and maternal female relatives (OR = 2.15, 95% CL = 1.14, 4.06) of cases than of controls were reported to have had birth defects. History of birth defects in maternal relatives was particularly associated with childhood brain tumors of “other” (not astrocytoma or medulloblastoma) histologic type (OR = 2.37, 95% CL = 1.25, 4.53) and infratentorial tumors (OR = 1.76, 95% CL = 1.06, 2.93). Slight excesses of tumors were observed in paternal relatives of children with astrocytomas (OR = 1.43, 95% CL 0.93, 2.20) or with infratentorial tumors (OR = 1.46, 95% CL 0.97, 2.20). Risk of childhood brain tumors did not increase with the number of relatives affected with brain tumors, breast cancer, leukemia or lymphoma, soft tissue sarcomas, or all of these tumor types combined (the Li‐Fraumeni syndrome). Conclusions . These findings suggest a modest increase in risk of childhood brain tumors associated with maternal family history of birth defects. Family history of tumors does not appear to contribute appreciably to an increased risk of brain tumors in children. Cancer 1994; 73:1302–11.