Paula Rios1,2,3, Helen D Bailey4,5, Brigitte Lacour4,5,6, Dominique Valteau-Couanet7, Jean Michon8, Christophe Bergeron9, Hélène Boutroux10, Anne-Sophie Defachelles11, Marion Gambart12, Nicolas Sirvent13, Estelle Thebaud14, Stéphane Ducassou15, Laurent Orsi4,5, Jacqueline Clavel4,5. 1. CRESS-EPICEA Epidémiologie des cancers de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, Inserm, Université Paris-Descartes, Université Sorbonne-Paris-Cité, Paris, France. paula.rios@inserm.fr. 2. RNCE - National Registry of Childhood Cancers- hematopoietic cancers, Villejuif, France. paula.rios@inserm.fr. 3. UMRS-1153 Equipe 7 (EPICEA), Inserm, 16 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier - Bat 15/16, 94807, Villejuif Cedex, France. paula.rios@inserm.fr. 4. CRESS-EPICEA Epidémiologie des cancers de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, Inserm, Université Paris-Descartes, Université Sorbonne-Paris-Cité, Paris, France. 5. RNCE - National Registry of Childhood Cancers- hematopoietic cancers, Villejuif, France. 6. RNCE - National Registry of Childhood Cancers-solid tumours, CHU de Nancy, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France. 7. Service d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris, France. 8. Service d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Institut Curie, Paris, France. 9. Institut d'Hématologie et d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Lyon, France. 10. Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Service Hématologie Oncologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Paris, France. 11. Service d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France. 12. Sce d'Hématologie Oncologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital des Enfants, Toulouse, France. 13. Service d'Hémato-oncologie pédiatrique, Hôpital Arnaud De Villeneuve, Montpellier, France. 14. Service d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital de la mère et l'enfant, Nantes, France. 15. Service d'Oncohématologie pédiatrique, Hôpital Pellegrin Tripode, Bordeaux, France.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Neuroblastoma (NB) is an embryonic tumor that occurs almost exclusively in infancy and early childhood. While considerable evidence suggests that it may be initiated during embryonic development, the etiology of NB is still unknown. The aim of this study was to explore whether there is an association between maternal use of household pesticides during pregnancy and the risk of NB in the offspring. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of two French national-based case-control studies. The mothers of 357 NB cases and 1,783 controls younger than 6 years, frequency-matched by age and gender, responded to a telephone interview that focused on sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics, childhood environment, and life-style. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: After controlling for matching variables, study of origin, and potential confounders, the maternal use of any type of pesticide during pregnancy was associated with NB (OR 1.5 [95% CI 1.2-1.9]). The most commonly used type of pesticides were insecticides and there was a positive association with their use alone (OR 1.4 [95% CI 1.1-1.9]) or with other pesticides (OR 2.0 [95% CI 1.1-3.4]). CONCLUSIONS: Although there is the potential for recall bias due to the study design, our findings add to the evidence of an association between the household use of pesticides and NB. Until a better study design can be found, our findings add yet another reason why to advise pregnant women to limit pesticide exposure during the periconceptional period.
PURPOSE:Neuroblastoma (NB) is an embryonic tumor that occurs almost exclusively in infancy and early childhood. While considerable evidence suggests that it may be initiated during embryonic development, the etiology of NB is still unknown. The aim of this study was to explore whether there is an association between maternal use of household pesticides during pregnancy and the risk of NB in the offspring. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of two French national-based case-control studies. The mothers of 357 NB cases and 1,783 controls younger than 6 years, frequency-matched by age and gender, responded to a telephone interview that focused on sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics, childhood environment, and life-style. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: After controlling for matching variables, study of origin, and potential confounders, the maternal use of any type of pesticide during pregnancy was associated with NB (OR 1.5 [95% CI 1.2-1.9]). The most commonly used type of pesticides were insecticides and there was a positive association with their use alone (OR 1.4 [95% CI 1.1-1.9]) or with other pesticides (OR 2.0 [95% CI 1.1-3.4]). CONCLUSIONS: Although there is the potential for recall bias due to the study design, our findings add to the evidence of an association between the household use of pesticides and NB. Until a better study design can be found, our findings add yet another reason why to advise pregnant women to limit pesticide exposure during the periconceptional period.