1
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Cobaleda C, Vicente-Dueñas C, Nichols KE, Sanchez-Garcia I. Childhood B cell leukemia: Intercepting the paths to progression. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2400033. [PMID: 39058907 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer, arising most often in children aged 2-5 years. This distinctive age distribution hints at an association between B-ALL development and disrupted immune system function during a susceptible period during childhood, possibly triggered by early exposure to infection. While cure rates for childhood B-ALL surpass 90% in high-income nations, survivors suffer from diminished quality of life due to the side effects of treatment. Consequently, understanding the origins and evolution of B-ALL, and how to prevent this prevalent childhood cancer, is paramount to alleviate this substantial health burden. This article provides an overview of our current understanding of the etiology of childhood B-ALL and explores how this knowledge can inform preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Cobaleda
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBM, CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolina Vicente-Dueñas
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Kim E Nichols
- Division of Cancer Predisposition, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Isidro Sanchez-Garcia
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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2
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Isidro-Hernández M, Casado-García A, Oak N, Alemán-Arteaga S, Ruiz-Corzo B, Martínez-Cano J, Mayado A, Sánchez EG, Blanco O, Gaspar ML, Orfao A, Alonso-López D, De Las Rivas J, Riesco S, Prieto-Matos P, González-Murillo Á, Criado FJG, Cenador MBG, Ramírez-Orellana M, de Andrés B, Vicente-Dueñas C, Cobaleda C, Nichols KE, Sánchez-García I. Immune stress suppresses innate immune signaling in preleukemic precursor B-cells to provoke leukemia in predisposed mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5159. [PMID: 37620322 PMCID: PMC10449887 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40961-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The initial steps of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) development usually pass unnoticed in children. Several preclinical studies have shown that exposure to immune stressors triggers the transformation of preleukemic B cells to full-blown B-ALL, but how this takes place is still a longstanding and unsolved challenge. Here we show that dysregulation of innate immunity plays a driving role in the clonal evolution of pre-malignant Pax5+/- B-cell precursors toward leukemia. Transcriptional profiling reveals that Myd88 is downregulated in immune-stressed pre-malignant B-cell precursors and in leukemic cells. Genetic reduction of Myd88 expression leads to a significant increase in leukemia incidence in Pax5+/-Myd88+/- mice through an inflammation-dependent mechanism. Early induction of Myd88-independent Toll-like receptor 3 signaling results in a significant delay of leukemia development in Pax5+/- mice. Altogether, these findings identify a role for innate immunity dysregulation in leukemia, with important implications for understanding and therapeutic targeting of the preleukemic state in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Isidro-Hernández
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-USAL, Campus M. de Unamuno s/n, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ana Casado-García
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-USAL, Campus M. de Unamuno s/n, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ninad Oak
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Silvia Alemán-Arteaga
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-USAL, Campus M. de Unamuno s/n, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Belén Ruiz-Corzo
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-USAL, Campus M. de Unamuno s/n, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jorge Martínez-Cano
- Immune system development and function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Mayado
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Servicio de Citometría, Departamento de Medicina, Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Cancer CIBER-CIBERONC (CB16/12/00400), Institute of Health Carlos III, and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Elena G Sánchez
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Blanco
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ma Luisa Gaspar
- Immunobiology Department, Carlos III Health Institute, 28220, Majadahonda (Madrid), Spain
| | - Alberto Orfao
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Servicio de Citometría, Departamento de Medicina, Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Cancer CIBER-CIBERONC (CB16/12/00400), Institute of Health Carlos III, and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Diego Alonso-López
- Bioinformatics Unit, Cancer Research Center (CSIC-USAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Javier De Las Rivas
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics Research Group, Cancer Research Center (CSIC-USAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Susana Riesco
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente, 58-182, Salamanca, 37007, Spain
| | - Pablo Prieto-Matos
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente, 58-182, Salamanca, 37007, Spain
| | - África González-Murillo
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier García Criado
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Departamento de Cirugía, , Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - María Begoña García Cenador
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Departamento de Cirugía, , Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Ramírez-Orellana
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén de Andrés
- Immunobiology Department, Carlos III Health Institute, 28220, Majadahonda (Madrid), Spain
| | - Carolina Vicente-Dueñas
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain.
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Paseo de San Vicente, 58-182, Salamanca, 37007, Spain.
| | - César Cobaleda
- Immune system development and function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Kim E Nichols
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Isidro Sánchez-García
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-USAL, Campus M. de Unamuno s/n, Salamanca, Spain.
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain.
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3
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Peppas I, Ford AM, Furness CL, Greaves MF. Gut microbiome immaturity and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:565-576. [PMID: 37280427 PMCID: PMC10243253 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00584-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common cancer of childhood. Here, we map emerging evidence suggesting that children with ALL at the time of diagnosis may have a delayed maturation of the gut microbiome compared with healthy children. This finding may be associated with early-life epidemiological factors previously identified as risk indicators for childhood ALL, including caesarean section birth, diminished breast feeding and paucity of social contacts. The consistently observed deficiency in short-chain fatty-acid-producing bacterial taxa in children with ALL has the potential to promote dysregulated immune responses and to, ultimately, increase the risk of transformation of preleukaemic clones in response to common infectious triggers. These data endorse the concept that a microbiome deficit in early life may contribute to the development of the major subtypes of childhood ALL and encourage the notion of risk-reducing microbiome-targeted intervention in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Peppas
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, The Royal Marsden Hospital Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Anthony M Ford
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Caroline L Furness
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, The Royal Marsden Hospital Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Mel F Greaves
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
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4
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In Utero Development and Immunosurveillance of B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2022; 23:543-561. [PMID: 35294722 PMCID: PMC8924576 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-022-00963-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent type of pediatric cancer with a peak incidence at 2–5 years of age. ALL frequently begins in utero with the emergence of clinically silent, preleukemic cells. Underlying leukemia-predisposing germline and acquired somatic mutations define distinct ALL subtypes that vary dramatically in treatment outcomes. In addition to genetic predisposition, a second hit, which usually occurs postnatally, is required for development of overt leukemia in most ALL subtypes. An untrained, dysregulated immune response, possibly due to an abnormal response to infection, may be an important co-factor triggering the onset of leukemia. Furthermore, the involvement of natural killer (NK) cells and T helper (Th) cells in controlling the preleukemic cells has been discussed. Identifying the cell of origin of the preleukemia-initiating event might give additional insights into potential options for prevention. Modulation of the immune system to achieve prolonged immunosurveillance of the preleukemic clone that eventually dies out in later years might present a future directive. Herein, we review the concepts of prenatal origin as well as potential preventive approaches to pediatric B cell precursor (BCP) ALL.
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5
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Cardesa-Salzmann TM, Simon A, Graf N. Antibiotics in early life and childhood pre-B-ALL. Reasons to analyze a possible new piece in the puzzle. Discov Oncol 2022; 13:5. [PMID: 35201533 PMCID: PMC8777491 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-022-00465-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric cancer with precursor B-cell ALL (pB-ALL) accounting for ~ 85% of the cases. Childhood pB-ALL development is influenced by genetic susceptibility and host immune responses. The role of the intestinal microbiome in leukemogenesis is gaining increasing attention since Vicente-Dueñas' seminal work demonstrated that the gut microbiome is distinct in mice genetically predisposed to ALL and that the alteration of this microbiome by antibiotics is able to trigger pB-ALL in Pax5 heterozygous mice in the absence of infectious stimuli. In this review we provide an overview on novel insights on the role of the microbiome in normal and preleukemic hematopoiesis, inflammation, the effect of dysbiosis on hematopoietic stem cells and the emerging importance of the innate immune responses in the conversion from preleukemic to leukemic state in childhood ALL. Since antibiotics, which represent one of the most widely used medical interventions, alter the gut microbial composition and can cause a state of dysbiosis, this raises exciting epidemiological questions regarding the implications for antibiotic use in early life, especially in infants with a a preleukemic "first hit". Sheading light through a rigorous study on this piece of the puzzle may have broad implications for clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. M. Cardesa-Salzmann
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg, Saarland Germany
| | - A. Simon
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg, Saarland Germany
| | - N. Graf
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg, Saarland Germany
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6
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Elevated blood MxA protein levels in children with newly diagnosed B-ALL: A prospective case-control study. JOURNAL OF SURGERY AND MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.28982/josam.1033655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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7
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Schmidt JA, Hornhardt S, Erdmann F, Sánchez-García I, Fischer U, Schüz J, Ziegelberger G. Risk Factors for Childhood Leukemia: Radiation and Beyond. Front Public Health 2021; 9:805757. [PMID: 35004601 PMCID: PMC8739478 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.805757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood leukemia (CL) is undoubtedly caused by a multifactorial process with genetic as well as environmental factors playing a role. But in spite of several efforts in a variety of scientific fields, the causes of the disease and the interplay of possible risk factors are still poorly understood. To push forward the research on the causes of CL, the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection has been organizing recurring international workshops since 2008 every two to three years. In November 2019 the 6th International Workshop on the Causes of CL was held in Freising and brought together experts from diverse disciplines. The workshop was divided into two main parts focusing on genetic and environmental risk factors, respectively. Two additional special sessions addressed the influence of natural background radiation on the risk of CL and the progress in the development of mouse models used for experimental studies on acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of leukemia worldwide. The workshop presentations highlighted the role of infections as environmental risk factor for CL, specifically for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Major support comes from two mouse models, the Pax5+/- and Sca1-ETV6-RUNX1 mouse model, one of the major achievements made in the last years. Mice of both predisposed models only develop leukemia when exposed to common infections. These results emphasize the impact of gene-environment-interactions on the development of CL and warrant further investigation of such interactions - especially because genetic predisposition is detected with increasing frequency in CL. This article summarizes the workshop presentations and discusses the results in the context of the international literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine-Alison Schmidt
- Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Hornhardt
- Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Friederike Erdmann
- Division of Childhood Cancer Epidemiology, Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Isidro Sánchez-García
- Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ute Fischer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization (IARC/WHO), Lyon, France
| | - Gunde Ziegelberger
- Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Neuherberg, Germany
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Hauer J, Fischer U, Borkhardt A. Toward prevention of childhood ALL by early-life immune training. Blood 2021; 138:1412-1428. [PMID: 34010407 PMCID: PMC8532195 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020009895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) is the most common form of childhood cancer. Chemotherapy is associated with life-long health sequelae and fails in ∼20% of cases. Thus, prevention of leukemia would be preferable to treatment. Childhood leukemia frequently starts before birth, during fetal hematopoiesis. A first genetic hit (eg, the ETV6-RUNX1 gene fusion) leads to the expansion of preleukemic B-cell clones, which are detectable in healthy newborn cord blood (up to 5%). These preleukemic clones give rise to clinically overt leukemia in only ∼0.2% of carriers. Experimental evidence suggests that a major driver of conversion from the preleukemic to the leukemic state is exposure to immune challenges. Novel insights have shed light on immune host responses and how they shape the complex interplay between (1) inherited or acquired genetic predispositions, (2) exposure to infection, and (3) abnormal cytokine release from immunologically untrained cells. Here, we integrate the recently emerging concept of "trained immunity" into existing models of childhood BCP-ALL and suggest future avenues toward leukemia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hauer
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ute Fischer
- Department for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; and
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partnering site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Arndt Borkhardt
- Department for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; and
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partnering site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany
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9
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Cobaleda C, Vicente-Dueñas C, Sanchez-Garcia I. Infectious triggers and novel therapeutic opportunities in childhood B cell leukaemia. Nat Rev Immunol 2021; 21:570-581. [PMID: 33558682 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-021-00505-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) is the most common form of childhood cancer. Although treatment has advanced remarkably in the past 50 years, it still fails in ~20% of patients. Recent studies revealed that more than 5% of healthy newborns carry preleukaemic clones that originate in utero, but only a small percentage of these carriers will progress to overt B-ALL. The drivers of progression are unclear, but B-ALL incidence seems to be increasing in parallel with the adoption of modern lifestyles. Emerging evidence shows that a major driver for the conversion from the preleukaemic state to the B-ALL state is exposure to immune stressors, such as infection. Here, we discuss our current understanding of the environmental triggers and genetic predispositions that may lead to B-ALL, highlighting lessons from epidemiology, the clinic and animal models, and identifying priority areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Cobaleda
- Immune System Development and Function Unit, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Isidro Sanchez-Garcia
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain. .,Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC and Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
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10
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An intact gut microbiome protects genetically predisposed mice against leukemia. Blood 2021; 136:2003-2017. [PMID: 32911536 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019004381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of childhood leukemias are precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (pB-ALLs) caused by a combination of prenatal genetic predispositions and oncogenic events occurring after birth. Although genetic predispositions are frequent in children (>1% to 5%), fewer than 1% of genetically predisposed carriers will develop pB-ALL. Although infectious stimuli are believed to play a major role in leukemogenesis, the critical determinants are not well defined. Here, by using murine models of pB-ALL, we show that microbiome disturbances incurred by antibiotic treatment early in life were sufficient to induce leukemia in genetically predisposed mice, even in the absence of infectious stimuli and independent of T cells. By using V4 and full-length 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing of a series of fecal samples, we found that genetic predisposition to pB-ALL (Pax5 heterozygosity or ETV6-RUNX1 fusion) shaped a distinct gut microbiome. Machine learning accurately (96.8%) predicted genetic predisposition using 40 of 3983 amplicon sequence variants as proxies for bacterial species. Transplantation of either wild-type (WT) or Pax5+/- hematopoietic bone marrow cells into WT recipient mice revealed that the microbiome is shaped and determined in a donor genotype-specific manner. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of sera from WT and Pax5+/- mice demonstrated the presence of a genotype-specific distinct metabolomic profile. Taken together, our data indicate that it is a lack of commensal microbiota rather than the presence of specific bacteria that promotes leukemia in genetically predisposed mice. Future large-scale longitudinal studies are required to determine whether targeted microbiome modification in children predisposed to pB-ALL could become a successful prevention strategy.
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11
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Pordanjani SR, Kavousi A, Mirbagheri B, Shahsavani A, Etemad K. Identification of high-risk and low-risk clusters and estimation of the relative risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in provinces of Iran during 2006-2014 period: A geo-epidemiological study. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MEDICAL SCIENCES : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF ISFAHAN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 26:18. [PMID: 34084197 PMCID: PMC8106411 DOI: 10.4103/jrms.jrms_662_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study was conducted to determine the epidemiological status, identify high-risk and low-risk clusters, and estimate the relative risk (RR) of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in provinces of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is an ecological study carried out using an Exploratory Multiple-Group design on 3769 children under 15 years of age with ALL from 2006 to 2014. Data analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U, Global Moran's I and Kuldorff's purely spatial scan statistic tests at a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS The average annual incidence rate of ALL during 2006-2014 period was 2.25/100,000 children under 15 years of age. The most likely high-risk cluster with log-likelihood ratio (LLR) =327.47 is located in the southwestern part of Iran with a radius of 294.93 km and a centrality of 30.77 N and 50.83 E, which contained 1276 patients with a RR of 2.56. It includes Fars, Bushehr, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Khuzestan and Chahar Mahall and Bakhtiari provinces. On the other hand, the most likely low-risk cluster with 517 patients, and a RR 0.49 and LLR = 227.03 was identified in the northwestern part of Iran with a radius of 270.38 km and a centrality of 37.25 N and 49.49 E. It includes Zanjan, Qazvin, Gilan and East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Alborz and Tehran provinces. CONCLUSION High-risk clusters were observed in Southwestern, central, and eastern Iran, while low-risk clusters were identified in Northern and Western Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Rahimi Pordanjani
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Kavousi
- Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Babak Mirbagheri
- Center for Remote Sensing and GIS Research, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Shahsavani
- Environmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Koorosh Etemad
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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12
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Rodriguez-Villamizar LA, Moreno-Corzo FE, Valbuena-Garcia AM, Uribe Pérez CJ, Brome Bohórquez MR, García García HI, Bravo LE, Ortiz Martínez RG, Niederbacher Velásquez J, Osornio-Vargas AR. Childhood Leukemia in Small Geographical Areas and Proximity to Industrial Sources of Air Pollutants in Three Colombian Cities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7925. [PMID: 33137878 PMCID: PMC7662935 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17217925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Acute leukemia is the most common childhood cancer and has been associated with exposure to environmental carcinogens. This study aimed to identify clusters of acute childhood leukemia (ACL) cases and analyze their relationship with proximity to industrial sources of air pollution in three capital cities in Colombia during 2000-2015. Incident ACL cases were obtained from the population cancer registries for the cities of Bucaramanga, Cali, and Medellín. The inventory of industrial sources of emissions to the air was obtained from the regional environmental authorities and industrial conglomerates were identified. The Kulldorf's circular scan test was used to detect city clusters and to identify clusters around industrial conglomerates. Multivariable spatial modeling assessed the effect of distance and direction from the industrial conglomerates controlling for socioeconomic status. We identified industrials sectors within a buffer of 1 km around industrial conglomerates related to the ACL clusters. Incidence rates showed geographical heterogeneity with low spatial autocorrelation within cities. The spatio-temporal tests identified one cluster in each city. The industries located within 1 km around the ACL clusters identified in the three cities represent different sectors. Exposure to air pollution from industrial sources might be contributing to the incidence of ACL cases in urban settings in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Feisar Enrique Moreno-Corzo
- Public Health Observatory of Santander, Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander, Floridablanca 681003, Colombia; (F.E.M.-C.); (R.G.O.M.)
| | - Ana María Valbuena-Garcia
- Department of Public Health, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 680002, Colombia;
- Cuenta de Alto Costo, Fondo Colombiano de Enfermedades de Alto Costo, Bogotá 110111, Colombia
| | - Claudia Janeth Uribe Pérez
- Population Based Cancer Registry of the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Bucaramanga 681003, Colombia;
| | | | | | - Luis Eduardo Bravo
- Population Based Cancer Registry of Cali, Universidad del Valle, Cali 760043, Colombia;
| | - Rafael Gustavo Ortiz Martínez
- Public Health Observatory of Santander, Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander, Floridablanca 681003, Colombia; (F.E.M.-C.); (R.G.O.M.)
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Beneforti L, Dander E, Bresolin S, Bueno C, Acunzo D, Bertagna M, Ford A, Gentner B, Kronnie GT, Vergani P, Menéndez P, Biondi A, D'Amico G, Palmi C, Cazzaniga G. Pro-inflammatory cytokines favor the emergence of ETV6-RUNX1-positive pre-leukemic cells in a model of mesenchymal niche. Br J Haematol 2020; 190:262-273. [PMID: 32118299 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.16523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
ETV6-RUNX1 (E/R) fusion gene, arising in utero from translocation t(12;21)(p13:q22), is the most frequent alteration in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, E/R is insufficient to cause overt leukemia since it generates a clinically silent pre-leukemic clone which persists in the bone marrow but fails to out-compete normal progenitors. Conversely, pre-leukemic cells show increased susceptibility to transformation following additional genetic insults. Infections/inflammation are the most accredited triggers for mutations accumulation and leukemic transformation in E/R+ pre-leukemic cells. However, precisely how E/R and inflammation interact in promoting leukemia is still poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that IL6/TNFα/ILβ pro-inflammatory cytokines cooperate with BM-MSC in promoting the emergence of E/R+ Ba/F3 over their normal counterparts by differentially affecting their proliferation and survival. Moreover, IL6/TNFα/ILβ-stimulated BM-MSC strongly attract E/R+ Ba/F3 in a CXCR2-dependent manner. Interestingly, E/R-expressing human CD34+ IL7R+ progenitors, a putative population for leukemia initiation during development, were preserved in the presence of BM-MSC and IL6/TNFα/ILβ compared to their normal counterparts. Finally, the extent of DNA damage increases within the inflamed niche in both control and E/R-expressing Ba/F3, potentially leading to transformation in the apoptosis-resistant pre-leukemic clone. Overall, our data provide new mechanistic insights into childhood ALL pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Beneforti
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
| | - Erica Dander
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
| | - Silvia Bresolin
- Dipartimento della Salute della Donna e del Bambino, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Clara Bueno
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Denise Acunzo
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
| | - Mayla Bertagna
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
| | - Anthony Ford
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Bernhard Gentner
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Geertruy Te Kronnie
- Dipartimento della Salute della Donna e del Bambino, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Pablo Menéndez
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBER-ONC), ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Biondi
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy.,Clinica Pediatrica, MBBM Foundation, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Giovanna D'Amico
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
| | - Chiara Palmi
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cazzaniga
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, University of Milano-Bicocca, MBBM Foundation, Monza, Italy
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14
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Francis SS, Enders C, Hyde R, Gao X, Wang R, Ma X, Wiemels JL, Selvin S, Metayer C. Spatial-Temporal Cluster Analysis of Childhood Cancer in California. Epidemiology 2020; 31:214-223. [PMID: 31596791 PMCID: PMC9005107 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The observance of nonrandom space-time groupings of childhood cancer has been a concern of health professionals and the general public for decades. Many childhood cancers are suspected to have initiated in utero; therefore, we examined the spatial-temporal randomness of the birthplace of children who later developed cancer. METHODS We performed a space-time cluster analysis using birth addresses of 5,896 cases and 23,369 population-based, age-, sex-, and race/ethnicity-matched controls in California from 1997 to 2007, evaluating 20 types of childhood cancer and three a priori designated subgroups of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We analyzed data using a newly designed semiparametric analysis program, ClustR, and a common algorithm, SaTScan. RESULTS We observed evidence for nonrandom space-time clustering for ALL diagnosed at 2-6 years of age in the South San Francisco Bay Area (ClustR P = 0.04, SaTScan P = 0.07), and malignant gonadal germ cell tumors in a region of Los Angeles (ClustR P = 0.03, SaTScan P = 0.06). ClustR did not identify evidence of clustering for other childhood cancers, although SaTScan suggested some clustering for Hodgkin lymphoma (P = 0.09), astrocytoma (P = 0.06), and retinoblastoma (P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides evidence that childhood ALL diagnosed at 2-6 years and malignant gonadal germ cell tumors sporadically occurs in nonrandom space-time clusters. Further research is warranted to identify epidemiologic features that may inform the underlying etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Starko Francis
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Division of Epidemiology, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Catherine Enders
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Rebecca Hyde
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Xing Gao
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Xiaomei Ma
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Yale University, USA
| | - Joseph L. Wiemels
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Steve Selvin
- Division of Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
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15
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Akhtar S, Al-Abkal J, Al-Shammari A. Childhood leukaemia incidence and trends in a Middle Eastern country during 1980-2014: a population-based study. Cancer Causes Control 2020; 31:231-240. [PMID: 31960178 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-020-01267-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This retrospective cohort study examines the trends in childhood leukaemia age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) (per million person-years) using cases which were diagnosed at age 0-19 years from 1980 to 2014 and recorded in the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) registry. METHODS Childhood leukaemia age-specific incidence rates overall and by sub-cohorts defined by age (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19 years), sex (male, female) and nationality (Kuwaiti, non-Kuwaiti) were computed and age-standardized. Joinpoint regression models were used to evaluate trends in childhood leukaemia ASIRs. Average annual percent change (AAPC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to interpret the observed trends. RESULTS During the study period, 1077 childhood leukaemia cases of 32.3 million person-years were diagnosed. From 1980 to 2014, the average annual childhood leukaemia ASIR was 53.1 (95% CI 20.9, 85.2). Overall childhood leukaemia ASIRs significantly decreased on average by 6.8% per year (AAPC = -6.8; 95% CI -12.1, -1.1; p = 0.02) from 1980 to 1993, but a marginally significant increase in ASIRs from 1993 to 2014 was recorded (AAPC = 2.5; 95% CI -0.5, 5.5; p = 0.10). During the entire period, childhood leukaemia ASIRs trends significantly (p < 0.05) increased among 6 of 16 sub-cohorts, which was more pronounced among females and 10-14-year-old children. CONCLUSIONS Overall, ASIRs significantly increased from 1993 to 2014, which specifically seems to be driven by an increase in ASIRs among females and 10-14 -year-old children. These increasing trends underscore the potential involvement of a range of exposures. Future studies on unravelling such factors may help develop preventive measures to minimize childhood leukaemia risk in this and similar settings in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Akhtar
- Department of Community Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kuwait, PO Box 24923, 13110, Safat, Kuwait.
| | - Jarrah Al-Abkal
- Department of Surgery, Farwaniya Hospital, PO Box 33978, 7346, Al Rawdha, Kuwait
| | - Ahmad Al-Shammari
- Department of Surgery, Al-Adan Hospital, PO Box 288, 44403, Sabah Al Salem, Kuwait
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16
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Garvin MC, Schijf J, Kaufman SR, Konow C, Liang D, Nigra AE, Stracker NH, Whelan RJ, Wiles GC. A survey of trace metal burdens in increment cores from eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) across a childhood cancer cluster, Sandusky County, OH, USA. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 238:124528. [PMID: 31425869 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A dendrochemical study of cottonwood trees (Populus deltoides) was conducted across a childhood cancer cluster in eastern Sandusky County (Ohio, USA). The justification for this study was that no satisfactory explanation has yet been put forward, despite extensive local surveys of aerosols, groundwater, and soil. Concentrations of eight trace metals were measured by ICP-MS in microwave-digested 5-year sections of increment cores, collected during 2012 and 2013. To determine whether the onset of the first cancer cases could be connected to an emergence of any of these contaminants, cores spanning the period 1970-2009 were taken from 51 trees of similar age, inside the cluster and in a control area to the west. The abundance of metals in cottonwood tree annual rings served as a proxy for their long-term, low-level accumulation from the same sources whereby exposure of the children may have occurred. A spatial analysis of cumulative metal burdens (lifetime accumulation in the tree) was performed to search for significant 'hotspots', employing a scan statistic with a mask of variable radius and center. For Cd, Cr, and Ni, circular hotspots were found that nearly coincide with the cancer cluster and are similar in size. No hotspots were found for Co, Cu, and Pb, while As and V were largely below method detection limits. Whereas our results do not implicate exposure to metals as a causative factor, we conclude that, after 1970, cottonwood trees have accumulated more Cd, Cr, and Ni, inside the childhood cancer cluster than elsewhere in Sandusky County.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Garvin
- Oberlin College, Department of Biology, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH, 44074, USA
| | - Johan Schijf
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, P.O. Box 38, Solomons, MD, 20688, USA.
| | - Sonya R Kaufman
- Oberlin College, Department of Biology, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH, 44074, USA
| | - Courtney Konow
- Oberlin College, Department of Biology, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH, 44074, USA
| | - Dong Liang
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, P.O. Box 38, Solomons, MD, 20688, USA
| | - Anne E Nigra
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 722 West 168th St., New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Norberth H Stracker
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, 1830 East Monument St., Room 442, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Rebecca J Whelan
- University of Notre Dame, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 140D McCourtney Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Gregory C Wiles
- The College of Wooster, Department of Earth Sciences, 944 College Hall, Wooster, OH, 44691, USA
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Abstract
In this Review, I present evidence supporting a multifactorial causation of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a major subtype of paediatric cancer. ALL evolves in two discrete steps. First, in utero initiation by fusion gene formation or hyperdiploidy generates a covert, pre-leukaemic clone. Second, in a small fraction of these cases, the postnatal acquisition of secondary genetic changes (primarily V(D)J recombination-activating protein (RAG) and activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-driven copy number alterations in the case of ETS translocation variant 6 (ETV6)-runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1)+ ALL) drives conversion to overt leukaemia. Epidemiological and modelling studies endorse a dual role for common infections. Microbial exposures earlier in life are protective but, in their absence, later infections trigger the critical secondary mutations. Risk is further modified by inherited genetics, chance and, probably, diet. Childhood ALL can be viewed as a paradoxical consequence of progress in modern societies, where behavioural changes have restrained early microbial exposure. This engenders an evolutionary mismatch between historical adaptations of the immune system and contemporary lifestyles. Childhood ALL may be a preventable cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mel Greaves
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
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18
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Grosche B, Kaatsch P, Heinzow B, Wichmann HE. The Krümmel (Germany) Childhood Leukaemia Cluster: a review and update. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2017; 37:R43-R58. [PMID: 28914236 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/aa8ce9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The debate surrounding possible adverse health effects from the civil use of nuclear power under normal operating conditions has been on-going since its introduction. It was particularly intensified by the detection of three leukaemia clusters near nuclear installations, i.e. near the reprocessing plants in Sellafield and Dounreay, UK, and near the Krümmel nuclear power plant, Germany, the last of which commenced between 1990 and 1991 and was first described in 1992; it continued until 2003, and an elevated risk up to 2005 has been reported in the literature. A number of expert commissions and working groups were set up by the governments of the German federal states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein to investigate the possible causes of the cluster. An overview of the many risk factors that were investigated as a possible explanation of the Krümmel cluster is given here, focussing on radiation, but also including other risk factors. Further, results from related epidemiological and cytogenetic studies are described. In summary, the cause of the occurrence of the Krümmel cluster has to be considered as unknown. Further research on the causes of childhood leukaemia is needed, focussing on epigenetics and on gene-environment interaction. An update of the leukaemia incidence around the Krümmel site shows that the incidence rates are now comparable to the average rate in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Grosche
- Freising, Germany (retired, formerly Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Oberschleissheim, Germany
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19
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Cazzaniga G, Bisanti L, Randi G, Deandrea S, Bungaro S, Pregliasco F, Perotti D, Spreafico F, Masera G, Valsecchi MG, Biondi A, Greaves M. Possible role of pandemic AH1N1 swine flu virus in a childhood leukemia cluster. Leukemia 2017; 31:1819-1821. [PMID: 28446785 PMCID: PMC5542028 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2017.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Cazzaniga
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, Clinica Pediatrica Università di Milano Bicocca, Fondazione MBBM/Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Italy
| | - Luigi Bisanti
- Servizio di Epidemiologia, Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Giorgia Randi
- Servizio di Epidemiologia, Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Deandrea
- Servizio di Epidemiologia, Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Bungaro
- Centro Ricerca Tettamanti, Clinica Pediatrica Università di Milano Bicocca, Fondazione MBBM/Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Pregliasco
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute - Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Daniela Perotti
- Department of Preventive and Predictive Medicine, Unit of Molecular Bases of Genetic Risk and Genetic Testing, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano
| | - Filippo Spreafico
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Hematology and Pediatric Onco-Hematology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Masera
- Clinica Pediatrica Università di Milano Bicocca, Fondazione MBBM/Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Valsecchi
- Center of Biostatistics for Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Andrea Biondi
- Clinica Pediatrica Università di Milano Bicocca, Fondazione MBBM/Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Italy
| | - Mel Greaves
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
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20
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Konstantinoudis G, Kreis C, Ammann RA, Niggli F, Kuehni CE, Spycher BD. Spatial clustering of childhood leukaemia in Switzerland: A nationwide study. Int J Cancer 2017; 141:1324-1332. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Kreis
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern Switzerland
| | - Roland A. Ammann
- Department of Paediatrics InselspitalBern University Hospital, University of Bern Switzerland
| | - Felix Niggli
- Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital Zurich Switzerland
| | - Claudia E. Kuehni
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern Switzerland
| | - Ben D. Spycher
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern Switzerland
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Roth C, Payne PRO, Weier RC, Shoben AB, Fletcher EN, Lai AM, Kelley MM, Plascak JJ, Foraker RE. The geographic distribution of cardiovascular health in the stroke prevention in healthcare delivery environments (SPHERE) study. J Biomed Inform 2016; 60:95-103. [PMID: 26828957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2016.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community-level factors have been clearly linked to health outcomes, but are challenging to incorporate into medical practice. Increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs) makes patient-level data available for researchers in a systematic and accessible way, but these data remain siloed from community-level data relevant to health. PURPOSE This study sought to link community and EHR data from an older female patient cohort participating in an ongoing intervention at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center to associate community-level data with patient-level cardiovascular health (CVH) as well as to assess the utility of this EHR integration methodology. MATERIALS AND METHODS CVH was characterized among patients using available EHR data collected May through July of 2013. EHR data for 153 patients were linked to United States census-tract level data to explore feasibility and insights gained from combining these disparate data sources. Analyses were conducted in 2014. RESULTS Using the linked data, weekly per capita expenditure on fruits and vegetables was found to be significantly associated with CVH at the p<0.05 level and three other community-level attributes (median income, average household size, and unemployment rate) were associated with CVH at the p<0.10 level. CONCLUSIONS This work paves the way for future integration of community and EHR-based data into patient care as a novel methodology to gain insight into multi-level factors that affect CVH and other health outcomes. Further, our findings demonstrate the specific architectural and functional challenges associated with integrating decision support technologies and geographic information to support tailored and patient-centered decision making therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caryn Roth
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Philip R O Payne
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rory C Weier
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Abigail B Shoben
- Division of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Erica N Fletcher
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Albert M Lai
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Marjorie M Kelley
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jesse J Plascak
- Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Randi E Foraker
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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22
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Hung GY, Horng JL, Yen HJ, Lee CY, Lee YS. Geographic Variation in Cancer Incidence among Children and Adolescents in Taiwan (1995-2009). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133051. [PMID: 26192415 PMCID: PMC4507945 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence from our recent study suggested that the overall trend for cancer incidence in children and adolescents has been increasing in Taiwan. METHODS To analyze geographic variations in this trend, cancer frequencies and incidence rates of disease groups were quantified according to geographic areas among 12,633 patients aged <20 years during 1995-2009 by using the population-based Taiwan Cancer Registry. Three geographic levels were defined, namely county or city, region (Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern Taiwan), and local administrative area (special municipality, provincial city, county-administered city, township, and aboriginal area). RESULTS Of the regions, Northern Taiwan had the highest incidence rate at 139.6 per million person-years, followed by Central (132.8), Southern (131.8), and Eastern (128.4) Taiwan. Significantly higher standardized rate ratios (SRRs) were observed in Northern Taiwan (SRR = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.10) and at the township level (SRR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.03-1.11). Of the cities or counties, New Taipei City yielded the highest SRR (1.08), followed by Taipei City (SRR = 1.07). A comparison of the rates in the four regions and the remainder of Taiwan according to cancer type revealed that only the rate of neuroblastomas in Eastern Taiwan was significantly low. Trend analysis showed that the most significant increase in incidence rate was observed at the township level, with an annual percent change of 1.8% during the 15-year study period. CONCLUSIONS The high rate of childhood cancer in Northern Taiwan and at the township level deserves further attention. The potential impacts of environmental factors on the upward trend of childhood cancer incidence rate in townships warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giun-Yi Hung
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiun-Lin Horng
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Ju Yen
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ying Lee
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Sheng Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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23
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Laurier D, Grosche B, Auvinen A, Clavel J, Cobaleda C, Dehos A, Hornhardt S, Jacob S, Kaatsch P, Kosti O, Kuehni C, Lightfoot T, Spycher B, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Wakeford R, Ziegelberger G. Childhood leukaemia risks: from unexplained findings near nuclear installations to recommendations for future research. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2014; 34:R53-R68. [PMID: 24938793 DOI: 10.1088/0952-4746/34/3/r53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent findings related to childhood leukaemia incidence near nuclear installations have raised questions which can be answered neither by current knowledge on radiation risk nor by other established risk factors. In 2012, a workshop was organised on this topic with two objectives: (a) review of results and discussion of methodological limitations of studies near nuclear installations; (b) identification of directions for future research into the causes and pathogenesis of childhood leukaemia. The workshop gathered 42 participants from different disciplines, extending widely outside of the radiation protection field. Regarding the proximity of nuclear installations, the need for continuous surveillance of childhood leukaemia incidence was highlighted, including a better characterisation of the local population. The creation of collaborative working groups was recommended for consistency in methodologies and the possibility of combining data for future analyses. Regarding the causes of childhood leukaemia, major fields of research were discussed (environmental risk factors, genetics, infections, immunity, stem cells, experimental research). The need for multidisciplinary collaboration in developing research activities was underlined, including the prevalence of potential predisposition markers and investigating further the infectious aetiology hypothesis. Animal studies and genetic/epigenetic approaches appear of great interest. Routes for future research were pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Laurier
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), BP 17, F-92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France
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24
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Goodman M, LaKind JS, Fagliano JA, Lash TL, Wiemels JL, Winn DM, Patel C, Van Eenwyk J, Kohler BA, Schisterman EF, Albert P, Mattison DR. Cancer cluster investigations: review of the past and proposals for the future. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 11:1479-99. [PMID: 24477211 PMCID: PMC3945549 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110201479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Residential clusters of non-communicable diseases are a source of enduring public concern, and at times, controversy. Many clusters reported to public health agencies by concerned citizens are accompanied by expectations that investigations will uncover a cause of disease. While goals, methods and conclusions of cluster studies are debated in the scientific literature and popular press, investigations of reported residential clusters rarely provide definitive answers about disease etiology. Further, it is inherently difficult to study a cluster for diseases with complex etiology and long latency (e.g., most cancers). Regardless, cluster investigations remain an important function of local, state and federal public health agencies. Challenges limiting the ability of cluster investigations to uncover causes for disease include the need to consider long latency, low statistical power of most analyses, uncertain definitions of cluster boundaries and population of interest, and in- and out-migration. A multi-disciplinary Workshop was held to discuss innovative and/or under-explored approaches to investigate cancer clusters. Several potentially fruitful paths forward are described, including modern methods of reconstructing residential history, improved approaches to analyzing spatial data, improved utilization of electronic data sources, advances using biomarkers of carcinogenesis, novel concepts for grouping cases, investigations of infectious etiology of cancer, and "omics" approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Goodman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Judy S LaKind
- LaKind Associates, LLC, 106 Oakdale Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228, USA.
| | - Jerald A Fagliano
- Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, P.O. Box 369, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA.
| | - Timothy L Lash
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Joseph L Wiemels
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building, HD 274 1450 3rd Street, San Francisco, MC 0520, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Deborah M Winn
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Chirag Patel
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, 1265 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Juliet Van Eenwyk
- Washington State Department of Health, P.O. Box 47812, Olympia, WA 98504, USA.
| | - Betsy A Kohler
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Enrique F Schisterman
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Paul Albert
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Donald R Mattison
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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25
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Ensuring Confidentiality of Geocoded Health Data: Assessing Geographic Masking Strategies for Individual-Level Data. Adv Med 2014; 2014:567049. [PMID: 26556417 PMCID: PMC4590956 DOI: 10.1155/2014/567049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Revised: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Public health datasets increasingly use geographic identifiers such as an individual's address. Geocoding these addresses often provides new insights since it becomes possible to examine spatial patterns and associations. Address information is typically considered confidential and is therefore not released or shared with others. Publishing maps with the locations of individuals, however, may also breach confidentiality since addresses and associated identities can be discovered through reverse geocoding. One commonly used technique to protect confidentiality when releasing individual-level geocoded data is geographic masking. This typically consists of applying a certain amount of random perturbation in a systematic manner to reduce the risk of reidentification. A number of geographic masking techniques have been developed as well as methods to quantity the risk of reidentification associated with a particular masking method. This paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art in geographic masking, summarizing the various methods and their strengths and weaknesses. Despite recent progress, no universally accepted or endorsed geographic masking technique has emerged. Researchers on the other hand are publishing maps using geographic masking of confidential locations. Any researcher publishing such maps is advised to become familiar with the different masking techniques available and their associated reidentification risks.
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26
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Seiler RL, Wiemels JL. Occurrence of ²¹⁰Po and biological effects of low-level exposure: the need for research. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2012; 120:1230-7. [PMID: 22538346 PMCID: PMC3440115 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1104607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 04/26/2012] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polonium-210 (²¹⁰Po) concentrations that exceed 1 Bq/L in drinking-water supplies have been reported from four widely separated U.S. states where exposure to it went unnoticed for decades. The radionuclide grandparents of ²¹⁰Po are common in sediments, and segments of the public may be chronically exposed to low levels of ²¹⁰Po in drinking water or in food products from animals raised in contaminated areas. OBJECTIVES We summarized information on the environmental behavior, biokinetics, and toxicology of ²¹⁰Po and identified the need for future research. METHODS Potential linkages between environmental exposure to ²¹⁰Po and human health effects were identified in a literature review. DISCUSSION ²¹⁰Po accumulates in the ovaries where it kills primary oocytes at low doses. Because of its radiosensitivity and tendency to concentrate ²¹⁰Po, the ovary may be the critical organ in determining the lowest injurious dose for ²¹⁰Po. ²¹⁰Po also accumulates in the yolk sac of the embryo and in the fetal and placental tissues. Low-level exposure to ²¹⁰Po may have subtle, long-term biological effects because of its tropism towards reproductive and embryonic and fetal tissues where exposure to a single alpha particle may kill or damage critical cells. ²¹⁰Po is present in cigarettes and maternal smoking has several effects that appear consistent with the toxicology of ²¹⁰Po. CONCLUSIONS Much of the important biological and toxicological research on ²¹⁰Po is more than four decades old. New research is needed to evaluate environmental exposure to ²¹⁰Po and the biological effects of low-dose exposure to it so that public health officials can develop appropriate mitigation measures where necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph L Seiler
- Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, University of Nevada-Reno, P.O. Box 1025, Carson City, NV 89702, USA.
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27
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Goodman M, Naiman JS, Goodman D, LaKind JS. Cancer clusters in the USA: what do the last twenty years of state and federal investigations tell us? Crit Rev Toxicol 2012; 42:474-90. [PMID: 22519802 PMCID: PMC3408895 DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2012.675315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Cancer clusters garner considerable public and legislative attention, and there is often an expectation that cluster investigations in a community will reveal a causal link to an environmental exposure. At a 1989 national conference on disease clusters, it was reported that cluster studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s rarely, if ever, produced important findings. We seek to answer the question: Have cancer cluster investigations conducted by US health agencies in the past 20 years improved our understanding of cancer etiology, or informed cancer prevention and control? Methods We reviewed publicly available cancer cluster investigation reports since 1990, obtained from literature searches and by canvassing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Investigations were categorized with respect to cancer type(s), hypothesized exposure, whether perceived clusters were confirmed (e.g. by elevated incidence), and conclusions about a link between cancer(s) of concern and hypothesized environmental exposure(s). Results We reviewed 428 investigations evaluating 567 cancers of concern. An increase in incidence was confirmed for 72 (13%) cancer categories (including the category “all sites”). Three of those were linked (with variable degree of certainty) to hypothesized exposures, but only one investigation revealed a clear cause. Conclusions It is fair to state that extensive efforts to find causes of community cancer clusters have not been successful. There are fundamental shortcomings to our current methods of investigating community cancer clusters. We recommend a multidisciplinary national dialogue on creative, innovative approaches to understanding when and why cancer and other chronic diseases cluster in space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Goodman
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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28
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Wiemels J. Perspectives on the causes of childhood leukemia. Chem Biol Interact 2012; 196:59-67. [PMID: 22326931 PMCID: PMC3839796 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2012.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Revised: 01/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Acute leukemia is the most common cancer in children but the causes of the disease in the majority of cases are not known. About 80% are precursor-B cell in origin (CD19+, CD10+), and this immunophenotype has increased in incidence over the past several decades in the Western world. Part of this increase may be due to the introduction of new chemical exposures into the child's environment including parental smoking, pesticides, traffic fumes, paint and household chemicals. However, much of the increase in leukemia rates is likely linked to altered patterns of infection during early childhood development, mirroring causal pathways responsible for a similarly increased incidence of other childhood-diagnosed immune-related illnesses including allergy, asthma, and type 1 diabetes. Factors linked to childhood leukemia that are likely surrogates for immune stimulation include exposure to childcare settings, parity status and birth order, vaccination history, and population mixing. In case-control studies, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is consistently inversely associated with greater exposure to infections, via daycare and later birth order. New evidence suggests also that children who contract leukemia may harbor a congenital defect in immune responder status, as indicated by lower levels of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 at birth in children who grow up to contract leukemia, as well as higher need for clinical care for infections within the first year of life despite having lower levels of exposure to infections. One manifestation of this phenomenon may be leukemia clusters which tend to appear as a leukemia "outbreak" among populations with low herd immunity to a new infection. Critical answers to the etiology of childhood leukemia will require incorporating new tools into traditional epidemiologic approaches - including the classification of leukemia at a molecular scale, better exposure assessments at all points in a child's life, a comprehensive understanding of genetic risk factors, and an appraisal of the interplay between infectious exposures and the status of immune response in individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Wiemels
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, Helen Diller Cancer Center Research Building, 1450 3rd Street, HD274, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States.
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