Reduced incidence of cervical cancer in mothers of sons with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma or eczema

Abstract

Because infection with human papillomavirus is a necessary cause of cervical cancer, it is likely that host immunological factors involved in defense against such infections are important for susceptibility to this cancer. By examining associations between allergy in sons and cervical cancer in their mothers, we aimed to test for genetic components involved in both allergy and cervical cancer development. Women born in Sweden between 1932 and 1960 with at least 1 son with medical records from military conscription examination were included in the study (N 5 717,963). Among these women there were 41,910 in situ and 3,618 invasive cases of cervical cancer. Hazard ratios of in situ and invasive cervical cancer were estimated as functions of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma and eczema diagnoses in sons. Adjustment was made for the possible confounders: age, year of birth, education, socio-economic index, geography, number of conscripted sons and total number of offspring. The risk of in situ and invasive cervical cancer was lower for women having sons diagnosed with hypersensitivity (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma or eczema). Fully adjusted hazard ratios for women with 1 hypersensitive son were for in situ 0.86 (95% CI 0.84-0.88) and for invasive cervical cancer 0.82 (95% CI 0.74-0.91). The protective effects were similar between the 3 allergic diagnoses and increased with number of sons with a diagnosis. There was no significant association between non-cervical cancer in mothers and allergy in sons. These results strengthen the hypothesis that inherited immunological factors are important in determining risk of cervical cancer, probably by affecting mechanisms for viral persistence. ' 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Key words: cervical cancer; allergy; rhinoconjunctivitis; asthma; eczema Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide, with 470,000 women diagnosed each year. 1 Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered a necessary but not sufficient cause of cervical cancer. 2 The reason why some women clear an HPV infection while others develop cervical lesions is still unknown. A key question is therefore what host and viral risk factors affect the persistence of infection and subsequent progression to cervical cancer?Other environmental risk factors for cervical cancer are cigarette smoking, long-term use of oral contraceptives and high parity. [3][4][5] However, these factors do not explain why, once an HPV infection has occurred, some women progress to cervical cancer while others clear the virus.The majority of studies on cervical neoplasias among immunesuppressed women suggest that impaired immunologic activity increases the risk of cervical cancer. Immune-suppressed individuals such as HIV patients or organ transplant recipients have increased risk for developing HPV-associated anogenital cancers. 6 Elevated risk of cervical cancer is reported for HIV/AIDS patients 7 and recipients of renal transplants. 8 An increased risk of cervical cytological abnormalities is seen in ...

Allergies and the Subsequent Risk of Cancer among Elderly Adults in the United States

“…The association was also particularly strong for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, a cancer for which data regarding involvement of HPV has been disputed (57)(58)(59). Interestingly, the same common genetic polymorphisms may predispose to both allergies and cervical cancer, and a reduced incidence of cervical cancer has been reported in women whose sons have allergic conditions (60,61). These reports suggest a genetic component common to allergies and cervical cancer.…”

Evidence from a large-scale meta-analysis indicates eczema reduces the incidence of glioma

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Pathway-based analysis of genetic susceptibility to cervical cancer in situ: HLA-DPB1 affects risk in Swedish women

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