Open AccessPersonal use of hair dyes and risk of leukemia: a systematic literature review and meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Towle Kevin M.,
Grespin Matthew E.,
Monnot Andrew D.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
cancer medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2045-7634
DOI - 10.1002/cam4.1162
Subject(s) - hair dyes , meta analysis , relative risk , medicine , leukemia , confidence interval , risk factor , dermatology , surgery , chemistry , organic chemistry , dyeing
The objective of this study was to examine the association between personal use of hair dyes and the risk of leukemia. We conducted a systematic literature review of epidemiology studies reporting leukemia‐specific cancer risks among hair dye users, and estimated the meta‐relative risk (meta‐ RR ) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI ) of leukemia, comparing hair dye users to nonusers. When data from all 20 studies that met the inclusion criteria were combined, ever use of hair dye was associated with a nonstatistically significant increased risk of leukemia, meta‐ RR = 1.09 (95% CI : 0.97–1.22). When restricted to studies that adjusted for smoking, ever use of hair dye was not associated with leukemia, meta‐ RR = 0.99 (95% CI : 0.76–1.29). A statistically significant increased risk of leukemia was associated with permanent hair dye use (meta‐ RR = 1.19 [95% CI : 1.07–1.33]), dark hair dye use (meta‐ RR = 1.29 [95% CI : 1.11–1.50]), hair dye use among males (meta‐ RR = 1.42 [95% CI : 1.01–2.00]), hair dye use pre‐1980 (meta‐ RR = 1.49 [95% CI : 1.21–1.83]), and hair dye use for ≥15 years (meta‐ RR = 1.35 [95% CI : 1.13–1.62]). Overall, findings suggest that ever use of hair dye is not a significant risk factor for leukemia. Certain hair dye use characteristics were associated with a statistically significant increased risk, but further research is required to determine whether these associations truly reflect a risk of leukemia due to methodological limitations in the underlying studies.