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23.07.2021 | Original Paper

Sex differences in associations between birth characteristics and childhood cancers: a five-state registry-linkage study

verfasst von: Lindsay A. Williams, Jeannette Sample, Colleen C. McLaughlin, Beth A. Mueller, Eric J. Chow, Susan E. Carozza, Peggy Reynolds, Logan G. Spector

Erschienen in: Cancer Causes & Control | Ausgabe 11/2021

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Abstract

Background

There is a well-recognized male excess in childhood cancer incidence; however, it is unclear whether there is etiologic heterogeneity by sex when defined by epidemiologic risk factors.

Methods

Using a 5-state registry-linkage study (cases n = 16,411; controls n = 69,816), we estimated sex-stratified odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) between birth and demographic characteristics for 16 pediatric cancers. Evidence of statistical interaction (p-interaction < 0.01) by sex was evaluated for each characteristic in each cancer.

Results

Males comprised > 50% of cases for all cancers, except Wilms tumor (49.6%). Sex interacted with a number of risk factors (all p-interaction < 0.01) including gestational age for ALL (female, 40 vs. 37–39 weeks OR: 0.84, 95% CI 0.73–0.97) and ependymoma (female, 40 vs. 37–39 OR: 1.78, 95% CI 1.14–2.79; female, ≥ 41 OR: 2.01. 95% CI 1.29–3.14), birth order for AML (female, ≥ 3rd vs. 1st OR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.01–1.92), maternal education for Hodgkin lymphoma (male, any college vs. < high school[HS] OR: 1.47, 95% CI 1.03–2.09) and Wilms tumor (female, any college vs. HS OR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.59–0.93), maternal race/ethnicity for neuroblastoma (male, black vs. white OR: 2.21, 95% CI 1.21–4.03; male, Hispanic vs. white OR: 1.86, 95% CI 1.26–2.75; female, Asian/Pacific Islander vs. white OR: 0.28, 95% CI 0.12–0.69), and paternal age (years) for hepatoblastoma in males (< 24 vs. 25–29 OR: 2.17, 95% CI 1.13–4.19; ≥ 35 vs. 25–29 OR: 2.44, 95% CI 1.28–4.64).

Conclusions

These findings suggest etiologic heterogeneity by sex for childhood cancers for gestational age, maternal education, and race/ethnicity and paternal age.

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Titel: Sex differences in associations between birth characteristics and childhood cancers: a five-state registry-linkage study
verfasst von: Lindsay A. Williams
Jeannette Sample
Colleen C. McLaughlin
Beth A. Mueller
Eric J. Chow
Susan E. Carozza
Peggy Reynolds
Logan G. Spector
Publikationsdatum: 23.07.2021
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Erschienen in: Cancer Causes & Control / Ausgabe 11/2021
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-021-01479-1

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Sex differences in associations between birth characteristics and childhood cancers: a five-state registry-linkage study