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Researchers in numerous studies have suggested that preconception paternal occupational exposures to various substances, including pesticides and herbicides, may be involved in the etiology of childhood cancers. Using data from the Northern Region Young Persons' Malignant Disease Registry, the authors investigated whether paternal occupations likely to involve such exposures, as recorded at the time of a child's birth, were associated with children's cancer risk. The authors matched cases (n = 4,723), on sex and year of birth, to controls from 2 independent sources: (1) all other patients from the registry with a different cancer and (2) 100 cancer-free individuals per case from the Cumbrian Births Database. An inverse association existed, particularly in males, between lymphoid leukemia and paternal occupations with likely exposures to pesticides and/or herbicides. However, this was not significant after stratifying by residential status (urban versus rural). Results do not support a role for preconception paternal occupational exposures to pesticides or herbicides in the etiology of childhood cancer. KEYWORDS: agriculture, cancer, epidemiology, herbicides, paternal exposures, pesticides, Results of numerous studies have suggested that preconception paternal occupational exposures may have a role in the etiology of childhood cancers. (1) In particular, occupations with exposures to pesticides and [...]

The SHIELD program for Hodgkin lymphoma in patients 60 years of age or older, prospectively evaluated clinical features and outcome in a large patient cohort (n = 175). The central element was a phase 2 study of VEPEMB chemotherapy (n = 103, median age 73 years) incorporating comorbidity assessment. A total of 72 other patients were treated off-study but registered prospectively and treated concurrently with: ABVD (n = 35); CLVPP (n = 19), or other (n = 18). Of VEPEMB patients, 31 had early-stage disease (stage 1A/2A) and received VEPEMB 3 times plus radiotherapy. Median follow-up was 36 months. Complete remission (CR) rate (intention-to-treat) was 74% and 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 81% and 74%, respectively. A total of 72 patients had advanced-stage disease (stage 1B/2B/3 or 4) and received VEPEMB 6 times. CR rate was 61% with 3-year OS and PFS of 66% and 58%, respectively. Of patients achieving CR, 13% with early-stage and 5% with advanced-stage disease progressed. Overall treatment-related mortality was 7%. In patients treated with curative intent with VEPEMB, ABVD, and CLVPP (n = 157), CR linked to several factors in univariate analysis. In a Cox regression model only, obtaining CR remained significant for OS and CR plus comorbidity and age for PFS. RS-EBV status had no significant effect on outcome.

The aetiology of most childhood solid tumours (other than central nervous system [CNS] tumours) is unclear. To investigate whether certain environmental exposures may be involved, we have analysed for space-time clustering using population-based data from North West England for the period 1954–98. Knox tests for space-time interactions between cases were applied with fixed thresholds of close in space, <5 km, and close in time, <1 year apart. Addresses at birth and at diagnosis were used. Tests were repeated replacing geographical distance with distance to the Nth nearest neighbour. N was chosen such that the mean distance was 5 km. Data were also examined by a second order procedure based on K-functions. There was significant evidence of space-time clustering for Wilms' tumours (p = 0.03 and 0.04, using the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the Knox test; and p = 0.07 and 0.03, using the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the K-function method), and soft tissue sarcomas (p = 0.01, using both the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the Knox test; and p = 0.001 and 0.002, using the geographical distance and nearest neighbour versions of the K-function method) based on time and location at birth, but not time and location at diagnosis. There was little or no evidence of space-time clustering amongst other diagnostic groups. These are the first results to demonstrate space-time clustering for childhood Wilms' tumours and soft tissue sarcomas. The results are consistent with environmental exposure hypotheses, relating to locations pre-natally or peri-natally. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hungary has had one of the highest suicide mortality rates in the world for decades. Investigating seasonality of suicide deaths is essential as its findings could be key elements in the prevention. In our study we have analyzed the seasonal effect in suicide mortality in relation to possible risk factors in Hungary during 1995–2017.

Higher birthweight, maternal history of miscarriage and low birth order have been associated with increased risk of childhood leukaemias and some solid tumours. No study has investigated these factors together and differences in disease etiology between girls and boys have been generally overlooked. In a retrospective case-control study, 732 childhood (≤15 yr) cancer cases from the population-based Northern Region Young Persons’ Malignant Disease Registry (NRYPMDR) whose hospital birth records could be accessed and 3723 controls matched for date and hospital of birth were compared. We examined maternal reproductive history and birthweight for gender-specific associations using conditional logistic regression. In univariate analysis, maternal history of miscarriage showed an association with all cancers (OR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.62, P = 0.02). In individual cancer groups, this association was significant for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) (n=225, OR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.07 to 2.27, P = 0.02), and marginally significant in osteosarcoma and neuroblastic tumours (neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma). There was no significant association with birth order. Being first born was a weak risk factor for ALL in boys only (OR=1.3, 95% CI = 0.8 to1.8). In boys but not in girls, the risk of ALL increased with birthweight (OR = 1.06 per 100 gr increase; 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.11, P = 0.01). When birthweights were normalized using UK standards for gestational age and gender, the associations were not more marked. A multivariate model for ALL confirmed the independence of associations with miscarriage history and birthweight. Gestational age was not a risk marker and did not explain the associations with birth weight and miscarriage history. Consideration of gender unravelled significant associations of maternal reproductive history and size at birth with childhood cancer markedly different between girls and boys. Most notably, associations with birth weight and miscarriage and the weak association with being first-born in childhood ALL were all stronger in males. The findings for birthweights normalized for gestational age suggested that size at birth rather than in utero growth trajectory is of etiologic importance in childhood ALL.