Childhood cancer and parental use of tobacco: findings from the inter-regional epidemiological study of childhood cancer (IRESCC)

Abstract

Summary Parental smoking data have been re-abstracted from the interview records of the Inter-Regional Epidemiological Study of Childhood Cancer (IRESCC) to test further the hypothesis that paternal cigarette smoking is a risk factor for the generality of childhood cancer. Reported cigarette smoking habits for the parents of 555 children diagnosed with cancer in the period 1980-1983 were compared, in two separate matched pairs analyses, with similar information for the parents of 555 children selected from GP lists (GP controls) and for the parents of 555 hospitalized children (hospital controls). When cases were compared with GP controls there was a statistically significant positive trend (P = 0.02) between the risk of childhood cancer and paternal daily consumption of cigarettes before the pregnancy; there was no significant trend for maternal smoking habit. When cases were compared with hospital controls there was a statistically significant negative trend (P < 0.001) between the risk of childhood cancer and maternal daily consumption of cigarettes before the pregnancy; there was no significant trend for paternal smoking habit. Neither of the significant trends could be explained by adjustment for socioeconomic grouping, ethnic origin or parental age at the birth of the child, or by simultaneous analysis of parental smoking habits. Relations between maternal consumption of cigarettes and birth weights suggested that (maternal) smoking data were equally reliable for case and control subjects, although comparisons with national data suggested that the hospital control parents were unusually heavy smokers. These findings give some support for the hypothesis that paternal cigarette smoking is a potential risk factor for the generality of childhood cancers.

Secondhand Tobacco Smoke

“…The significant trends observed by Sorahan et al (2001) and did not diminish when adjusted for potential confounding covariates or with simultaneous analysis of parental smoking habits. The relationship between maternal smoking and birth weight reported by Sorahan et al (2001) suggested that self-reported maternal smoking was equally reliable for cases and for controls.…”

“…Paternal smoking before pregnancy showed no association with leukaemia risk for any smoking category. Sorahan et al (2001) reported a nonsignificant positive association between risk for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and daily cigarette smoking by fathers before pregnancy, and a non-significant inverse association between risk for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and daily smoking by mothers before pregnancy. Down Syndrome children are highly susceptible to the development of acute leukaemia.…”

“…The relationship between maternal smoking and birth weight reported by Sorahan et al (2001) suggested that self-reported maternal smoking was equally reliable for cases and for controls. However, comparisons of smoking patterns with national data suggested that control parents in this study were heavier smokers.…”

“…In addition to the four cohort and 10 casecontrol studies reviewed by IARC (2004), three case-control studies have examined the role of second-hand tobacco smoke in relation to risk for all childhood cancers combined (Sorahan et al, 2001;Sorahan & Lancashire, 2004; Table 2.21 available at http://monographs. iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol100E/100E-02-Table2.21.pdf).…”

“…In a follow-up of the Inter-Regional Epidemiological Study of Childhood Cancer (IRESCC) by McKinney et al (1987), a statistically significant positive trend with daily paternal smoking before pregnancy was observed when cases were compared with controls selected from General Practitioners' (GPs') lists, but not from hospitals; an inverse trend was noted for maternal smoking before pregnancy when cases were compared with hospital, but not with General Practitioners, controls (Sorahan et al, 2001).…”