Impact of environmental pollutants on pediatric brain tumor incidence in New Jersey

• Published in: Clinical neurology and neurosurgery 2024-07, Vol.242, p.108318, Article 108318
• Main Authors: Sarwar, Syed A., O’Malley, Geoffrey R., Botvinov, Julia, Khan, Yasmin, Kumar, Rohit Prem, Ali, Mir, Cassimatis, Nicholas D., Hundal, Jasdeep S., Patel, Nitesh V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age groups; Air pollutants; Air Pollutants - adverse effects; Air pollution; Blood levels; Brain cancer; Brain Neoplasms - chemically induced; Brain Neoplasms - epidemiology; Brain tumors; Carbon monoxide; Child; Child, Preschool; Contaminants; Environment; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental factors; Environmental Pollutants - adverse effects; Environmental risk; Family income; Female; Humans; Incidence; Income; Infant; Lead; Male; New Jersey - epidemiology; Nitrogen dioxide; Outdoor air quality; Ozone; Ozone - adverse effects; Particulate Matter; Particulate Matter - adverse effects; Pediatric brain tumors; Pediatrics; Pollutants; Population; Tumors
• ISSN: 0303-8467; 1872-6968; 1872-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2024.108318

The relationship between environmental contaminants and brain tumor incidence in adults has been thoroughly explored but research into how these contaminants affect pediatric brain tumor (PBT) incidence has not been explored. Children, typically having more limited geographical movement and thus more consistent environmental contaminant exposure, might offer more reliable insights into which environmental contaminants affect the incidence of brain tumors. The present study is the first to focus on exploring whether a possible association exists between the incidence of PBTs and exposure to environmental pollutants in New Jersey (NJ). Linear regressions were run between PBT incidence and the concentration of air quality pollutants such as Ozone (O3), Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), Particulate Matter 10 (PM10), and Carbon Monoxide (CO). Similarly, linear regressions were run between PBT incidence and Elevated Blood Lead Levels (BLL). The study observed a significant positive relationship between O3 and PBT incidence (β = 0.34, p = 0.028). However, the relationship between PBT incidence, and environmental pollutants such as CO (β = 0.0047, p = 0.098), PM2.5 (β = −0.2624, p = 0.74), and PM10 (β = −0.7353, p = 0.073) were found to be nonsignificant. For elevated BLL, nonsignificant relationships with PBT incidence were observed at 10–14 µg/dL (β = −39.38, p = 0.30), 15–19 µg/dL (β = −67.00, p = 0.21), and 20–44 µg/dL (β = −201.98, p = 0.12). The results indicate a possible impact of O3 on the incidence of PBTs in NJ. In contrast to the significant links found in prior studies of adult brain tumors, the associations between PBT occurrence and particulate matter were not significant. These findings highlight the importance of further investigating how environmental factors, especially O3, relate to PBTs. •Significant link was found between ozone and pediatric brain tumors.•No significant links were found between pediatric brain tumors and other pollutants (CO, PM2.5, PM10) or blood lead levels.•The present study is the first to investigate link between pediatric brain tumors and environmental contaminants.•Median household income was not significantly correlated to pediatric brain tumor incidence.