Risk factors for childhood acute non-lymphocytic leukemia: an association with maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy?

A population-based case-control study of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) was performed with 80 ANLL cases diagnosed between 1973 and 1979, who were derived from the nationwide register of the Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group. Cases were compared to three age- and sex-matched population con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention biomarkers & prevention, 1994-09, Vol.3 (6), p.457
Main Authors: van Duijn, C M, van Steensel-Moll, H A, Coebergh, J W, van Zanen, G E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology
Bias
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Fathers
Female
Humans
Hydrocarbons - adverse effects
Infant
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - epidemiology
Male
Netherlands - epidemiology
Population Surveillance
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - epidemiology
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
Risk Factors
Smoking - epidemiology
Ultrasonography, Prenatal
Virus Diseases - epidemiology
X-Rays
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Summary:A population-based case-control study of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) was performed with 80 ANLL cases diagnosed between 1973 and 1979, who were derived from the nationwide register of the Dutch Childhood Leukemia Study Group. Cases were compared to three age- and sex-matched population controls and, in order to control for recall bias, to 517 cases with acute lymphocytic leukemia from the same study base. Information on a large number of exposures to putative risk factors was collected by a self-administered questionnaire mailed to the parents. No significant association of ANLL was observed with smoking habits of the mother during pregnancy, ultrasound examinations, prenatal exposure to x-rays, viral infections, or hydrocarbon exposure. When comparing ANLL cases to population controls, maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy was associated with a more than two-fold increased risk of ANLL (odds ratio = 2.6; 95% confidence interval = 1.4-4.6). A similar increase in risk was found when comparing ANLL cases to acute lymphocytic leukemia cases. There was no significant elevation in risk for ANLL found for parental use of alcohol 1 year before pregnancy. This study suggests that intrauterine exposure to alcohol may increase the risk for childhood ANLL.
ISSN:1055-9965
1538-7755