Parental occupation at periconception: findings from the United Kingdom Childhood Cancer Study

Abstract

Aims:To study the risk of childhood cancer in relation to parental occupation and related exposures.Methods:Self reported occupational data from mothers and fathers of 3838 children with cancer and 7629 control children were analysed. Odds ratios were calculated for 31 “occupational groups” by parent, diagnostic group (leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), central nervous system tumours, and other cancers) and time of exposure (periconception, birth, and diagnosis).Results:Findings did not support the hypothesis that occupational exposure of fathers to ionising radiation increases the risk of childhood cancer in their offspring. Specific examination of periconceptual chemical exposures showed small but statistically significant increased risks for leukaemia and ALL among children whose fathers were exposed to exhaust fumes, driving, and/or inhaled particulate hydrocarbons. In the remaining analyses, a fourfold increase in the risk of other cancers was observed among the children of fathers working with leather but based on small numbers. Both maternal and paternal exposure to textile dust was related to an increased risk of other cancers.Conclusion:Results failed to produce any strong evidence to link parental occupational exposures with an increased risk of childhood cancer. No relation was found for paternal periconceptual exposure to ionising radiation. The consistency of the associations observed between childhood leukaemia and paternal occupational exposure to exhaust fumes, driving, and/or inhaled particulate hydrocarbons at periconception suggest a small risk for vehicle related exhaust. However, other explanations cannot be excluded and further research into the nature of the associations is required.

Paternal organic solvent exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A meta-analysis

“…Twelve were reviews from which the references were checked [Haas and Schottenfeld, 1979;Taskinen, 1990;Lindbohm et al, 1992;Legator and Harper, 1993;Savitz, 1994;Savitz et al, 1994;Lindbohm, 1995;Friedler, 1996;Wyszynski and Beaty, 1996;Figa-Talamanca et al, 2001;Anderson, 2003;Chapin et al, 2004], 11 did not investigate an exposure of interest; four dealt with pesticides [Goldsmith et al, 1984;Savitz et al, 1997;Garcia et al, 1998;Regidor et al, 2004], two dealt with welding [Bonde et al, 1992;Hjollund et al, 1995], two dealt with maternal exposure [Windham et al, 1991;Ford et al, 1994], one dealt with a smelter, and two dealt with occupations, which did not use organic solvents [Hemminki et al, 1980;Beckman and Nordstrom, 1982;Norgard et al, 2004]. Eight did not deal with pregnancy as the outcome of interest [Sanotskii, 1976;Daniell and Vaughan, 1988;Savitz et al, 1989;Sanjose et al, 1991;Kristensen et al, 1993;Sallmen et al, 1997;GuoBing et al, 2001;McKinney et al, 2003], one had an exposed control group [Schnitzer et al, 1995], and we were unable to extract data from four [Infante et al, 1976;Olsen, 1984;McDonald et al, 1989;Olshan and Schnitzer, 1994]. Two stu...…”

Maternal Factors and Risk of Childhood Leukemia

“…However, there is inconclusive evidence regarding parent's occupational exposures and risk of developing leukemia. Results from the different Child Cancer Study shows a small increased risk of childhood leukemia associated with parental occupational exposure to exhaust fumes, inhaled particulate hydrocarbons and pesticides (Schuz et al, 2000;Cordier et al, 2001;McKinney et al, 2003Metayer et al, 2013.…”

Central nervous system tumours in children: Epidemiology and risk factors

“…However, the number of cases is smaller than for leukaemia and no metaanalysis has been conducted, as for childhood leukaemia; thus the current data are considered inadequate and the evidence base needs extending [NRPB, 2004]. Parental occupational exposure to EMF has also been examined in relation to childhood CNS tumours [Little, 1999;McKinney et al, 2003] but there is little evidence to support any associations.…”

“…To derive exposure from a job or industry title is notoriously problematic, as individuals in similar occupations may have very different exposures. A recent large scale case control study of childhood cancers in the UK failed to show any significant associations between CNS tumours and either occupations of mothers during pregnancy or fathers around the time of conception [McKinney et al, 2003]. An international case-control study of childhood CNS tumours has recently published findings for parental occupational exposures, showing paternal preconception exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons increased the risk of all CNS tumours [Cordier et al, 2004].…”