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Residential pesticide exposure and neuroblastoma
J L Daniels1, A F Olshan, K Teschke
1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
Insights
Residential pesticide exposure is linked to childhood neuroblastoma. Stronger associations were found for garden pesticides in older children, suggesting a potential age-related mechanism for this cancer risk.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Oncology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Neuroblastoma is the most frequent childhood cancer, particularly in infants.
- Understanding environmental risk factors like pesticide exposure is crucial for prevention.
- Previous studies have suggested potential links between pesticides and childhood cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between residential pesticide exposure and the risk of neuroblastoma.
- To explore potential differences in this association based on age at diagnosis and pesticide application location (home vs. garden).
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 538 incident neuroblastoma cases and age-matched controls.
- Data collected via telephone interviews with parents regarding residential pesticide use.
- Statistical analysis using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess risk.
Main Results:
- Modest associations were observed between neuroblastoma and both home pesticide use (OR=1.6) and garden pesticide use (OR=1.7).
- A stronger association was found for garden pesticide exposure in children diagnosed after one year of age (OR=2.2) compared to infants.
- No significant differences in pesticide effects were noted based on MYCN oncogene amplification or tumor stage.
Conclusions:
- Residential pesticide exposure, particularly in gardens, may be associated with an increased risk of neuroblastoma.
- The findings suggest that pesticide exposure might influence neuroblastoma development through mechanisms more relevant in older children.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific pesticides and exposure pathways involved.
Abstract:
Neuroblastoma is the most common neoplasm in children under 1 year of age. We examined the relation between residential exposure to pesticides and neuroblastoma, using data from a case-control study of risk factors for neuroblastoma. Incident cases of neuroblastoma (N = 538) were identified through the Pediatric Oncology Group and the Children's Cancer Group. One age-matched control was identified for each case by random digit dialing. Telephone interviews with each parent collected information on residential exposure to pesticides. Pesticide use in both the home and garden were modestly associated with neuroblastoma [odds ratio (OR) = 1.6 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.0-2.3, and OR = 1.7 (95% CI = 0.9-2.1), respectively]. Compared with infants [OR = 1.0 (95% CI = 0.6-2.0)], stronger associations were found for garden pesticides in children diagnosed after 1 year of age [OR = 2.2 (95% CI = 1.3-3.6)], which suggests that pesticides may act through a mechanism more common for neuroblastomas in older children. There was no evidence of differential pesticide effects in subgroups of neuroblastoma defined by MYCN oncogene amplification or tumor stage.