Risk factors for childhood brain tumours: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies from 1976 to 2022

Maternal smoking, consumption of alcohol, and caffeinated beverages during pregnancy and the risk of childhood brain tumors: a meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

We conducted this meta-analysis to investigate the potential association between maternal smoking, alcohol and caffeinated beverages consumption during pregnancy and the risk of childhood brain tumors (CBTs).

METHODS

A thorough search was carried out on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Internet to identify pertinent articles. Fixed or random effects model was applied to meta-analyze the data.

RESULTS

The results suggested a borderline statistically significant increased risk of CBTs associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.99-1.09). We found that passive smoking (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.20), rather than active smoking (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.93-1.07), led to an increased risk of CBTs. The results suggested a higher risk in 0-1 year old children (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.94-1.56), followed by 0-4 years old children (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.97-1.28) and 5-9 years old children (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.95-1.29). This meta-analysis found no significant association between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and CBTs risk (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.80-1.24). An increased risk of CBTs was found to be associated with maternal consumption of caffeinated beverages (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.26) during pregnancy, especially coffee (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.00-1.38).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal passive smoking, consumption of caffeinated beverages during pregnancy should be considered as risk factors for CBTs, especially glioma. More prospective cohort studies are warranted to provide a higher level of evidence.

Maternal and Perinatal Factors Associated With Childhood Brain Tumors: A Case-Control Study in Vietnam

INTRODUCTION

Brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children and the majority of childhood brain tumors are diagnosed without determination of their underlying etiology. Little is known about risk factors for childhood brain tumors in Vietnam. The objective of this case-control study was to identify maternal and perinatal factors associated with brain tumors occurring in young Vietnamese children and adolescents.

METHODS

We conducted a hospital-based case-control study at Viet Duc University Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Cases consisted of children with brain tumors aged 0-14 years old admitted to the hospital from January 2020 to July 2022 while the controls were age and sex-matched hospitalized children diagnosed with head trauma. Perinatal characteristics were abstracted from hospital medical records and maternal medical, behavioral, and sociodemographic factors were collected through in-person interviews. Conditional logistic regression models were used to examine maternal and perinatal factors associated with childhood brain tumors.

RESULTS

The study sample included 220 children (110 cases and 110 controls) whose average age was 8.9 years and 41.8% were girls. Children born to mothers aged greater than 30 years at the time of the child's birth had a higher risk of childhood brain tumors compared to those born to mothers aged from 18 to 30 years old (OR = 2.55; 95% CI: 1.13-5.75). Additionally low maternal body mass index prior to the current pregnancy of <18.5 kg/m2 significantly increased the odds of having a child with a brain tumor in relation to normal maternal body mass index from 18.5-22.9 kg/m2 (OR = 3.19; 95% CI: 1.36 - 7.50).

CONCLUSION

Advanced maternal age and being markedly underweight were associated with an increased odds of having a child with a brain tumor. A population-based study with larger sample size is needed to confirm and extend the present findings.