Childhood brain tumors and paternal occupation in the aerospace industry

Data from a case-control study of childhood brain tumors were analyzed to examine the possibility that paternal occupation in the aerospace industry is related to the development of a brain tumor in offspring. Parents of 51 children with brain tumors diagnosed in western Washington State during 1978-81 were interviewed, and their responses were compared to those of parents of 142 children selected at random from this population. Among all children, proportions of case and control fathers who had ever been employed in the aerospace industry were nearly identical [relative risk (RR) = 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.40-2.19]. Employment in the aerospace industry during the period from 1 year prior to birth to the time of diagnosis and any employment in the manufacturing part of the industry were not associated with increased risk. However, stratification by age at diagnosis revealed an increased risk associated with father's ever-employment in the industry (RR = 2.10; 95% CI = 0.79-5.60) for children under 10 years old. A corresponding decreased risk (RR = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.01-1.08) was found for children over 10 years old. Because of the relatively small number of cases with a positive paternal occupational history, interpretations of the difference in the direction of the association according to age at diagnosis must remain tentative ones.