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Household solvent exposures and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
D M Freedman1, P Stewart, R A Kleinerman
1Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Executive Plaza-South, Room 7087, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20892-7238, USA. mf101e@nih.gov
Objectives:
This study explored the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) associated with participation by household members in hobbies or other home projects involving organic solvents.
Methods:
Participants in this case-control study were 640 subjects with ALL and 640 matched controls.
Results:
Childhood ALL was associated with frequent (> 4 times/month) exposure to model building (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.7, 5.8) and artwork using solvents (OR = 4.1; 95% CI = 1.1, 15.1). We also found elevated risk (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1, 2.7) among children whose mothers lived in homes painted extensively (> 4 rooms) in the year before the children's birth.
Conclusions:
In this exploratory study, substantial participation by household members in some common household activities that involve organic solvents was associated with elevated risks of childhood ALL.