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Does prolonged breastfeeding reduce the risk for childhood leukemia and lymphomas?

A Bener1, G F Hoffmann, Z Afify

  • 1Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad General Hospital and Hamad Medical Corporation Doha, State of Qatar. abener@hmc.org.qa

Minerva Pediatrica
|May 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Prolonged breastfeeding offers protection against childhood lymphoid malignancies, including acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and Hodgkin

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Breastfeeding duration is a critical factor in infant health.
  • Previous research suggests a link between breastfeeding and reduced risk of childhood cancers.
  • Socioeconomic factors may influence breastfeeding practices and health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the protective effect of extended breastfeeding against childhood lymphoid malignancies.
  • To identify socioeconomic determinants associated with breastfeeding duration and malignancy risk.
  • To explore the relationship between breastfeeding, socioeconomic status, and childhood cancer risk.

Main Methods:

  • Case-control study involving 169 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and 169 matched healthy controls.
  • Data collected via telephone interviews on breastfeeding history and potential viral infection indicators.
  • Multivariate analysis used to assess risk factors including breastfeeding duration, maternal age, education, income, and family characteristics.

Main Results:

  • A shorter breastfeeding duration (0-6 months) was significantly associated with an increased risk of ALL in both males and females.
  • Longer breastfeeding duration was observed in control groups compared to patient groups (males: 12.1 vs 9.1 months; females: 11.5 vs 8.4 months).
  • Statistically significant risk factors for childhood lymphoid malignancy included shorter breastfeeding duration, lower maternal age and education, higher income, larger accommodation size, and birth order.

Conclusions:

  • Extended breastfeeding demonstrates a protective effect against childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma.
  • Lower maternal age and education are associated with an increased risk of lymphoid malignancies.
  • These findings suggest that breastfeeding and maternal socioeconomic factors may play a role in modulating the risk of early childhood infections and subsequent malignancies.
Abstract

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