Parental cancer as a risk factor for bone cancer: a nation-wide study from Sweden

Incidence and Temporal Variations of Bone and Soft Tissue Cancers in the Golestan Province, Northern Iran, 2004-2016

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to evaluate the epidemiological features of bone and soft cancers in the Golestan province, Northern Iran from 2004 to 2016.

METHODS

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. All patients with primary bone and soft tissue cancers between 2004 and 2016 were included. Data were obtained from Golestan population-based cancer registry (GPCR). We calculated age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) and reported the rates per 100000 person-year. Estimated annual percent change (EAPC) was also calculated to assess temporal trends in incidence rates of these cancers.

RESULTS

The ASRs of bone cancers and soft tissue cancers were 1.33 and 1.43 per 100000 person-year, respectively. This study also showed that the ASR of bone cancer was higher in men (1.51) than women (1.15). The ASR of soft tissue cancers in the urban population (1.58) was higher than rural (1.27), and was lower in women (1.37) than men (1.49). Two peaks were seen in the incidence of bone cancer. The first peak was in the age group of 10 to 20 years and the second was in patients over 60. We did not find significant temporal trends in the incidence of bone (EAPC=-1.14; P>0.05) and soft tissue cancers (EAPC=-2.73; P>0.05) during the study period.

CONCLUSION

Epidemiological features of bone and soft tissue cancers including gender, age and place of residence should be considered by health policy makers in designing cancer control programs.

Epidemiology of bone tumours in children and young adults

Although the epidemiology of malignant bone tumours in children and young adults has been explored, no definitive causation of any specific tumour has yet been identified. We performed a literature review (1970-2008) to find all papers covering possible aetiological factors involved in the development of bone tumours in children and young adults. Several associations have been reported with some consistency: the presence of hernias and Ewing sarcoma; high fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma; and parental farming and residence on a farm, younger age at puberty and family history of cancer for all bone tumours, especially osteosarcoma. Clearly further research is needed to confirm or refute these putative risk factors. It is likely that studies of gene-environment interactions may prove to be the most fruitful of future research.

Familial risk for histology-specific bone cancers: an updated study in Sweden

We used the nation-wide Swedish Family-Cancer Database to examine the familial risks of histology-specific bone cancers in offspring by parental or sibling probands. Adjusted standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were used to measure the risk. Among the 1327 offspring bone cancers, only two parent-offspring pairs and one sibling pair were noted with concordant bone cancer but the SIRs were not significant. Significant associations were observed in specific histological types or specific age groups, some of which may be chance findings arising from multiple comparisons. However, the risk of early-onset (< 25 years) osteosarcoma in offspring was significantly increased when mothers presented with breast cancer (1.7) and melanoma (2.9), suggesting that Li-Fraumeni syndrome could partly explain this familial aggregation. Other associations, such as childhood osteosarcoma with parental liver cancer, Ewing's sarcoma with kidney cancer and giant cell sarcoma with maternal breast cancer, were novel findings and may be related to other familial diseases.

Incidence of multiple primary malignancies among patients with bone cancers in Sweden

PURPOSE

The present study aimed at quantifying risks for second malignancies in patients with bone cancers, and risks for second bone cancers after other primary tumors.

METHODS

Adjusted standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were used as a measure of risk.

RESULTS

Among 2,546 primary bone cancer patients, a total of 171-second malignancies occurred. Besides second bone cancers, other cancer sites with an increased SIR were the soft tissues and endocrine glands. The overall risk of second malignancies following Ewing's sarcoma was 5.63, followed by chordoma (1.99), osteosarcoma (1.54), and chondrosarcoma (1.51). Patients diagnosed before age 20 years showed an increased SIR of 3.11. The increased occurrence of second bone cancers was noted after the cancer sites of upper aerodigestive tract, kidney and nervous system.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of second primary malignancies in bone cancer patients was moderately increased. Among histological types, Ewing's sarcoma showed the highest risk of developing second cancers. Young age was also associated with an increased risk. Besides therapeutic effects, the observed excesses of a second bone or soft tissue tumor may be related to Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Increases at other sites may be related to unknown factors or spurious findings.