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Onyije FM, Dolatkhah R, Olsson A, Bouaoun L, Deltour I, Erdmann F, Bonaventure A, Scheurer ME, Clavel J, Schüz J. Risk factors for childhood brain tumours: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies from 1976 to 2022. Cancer Epidemiol 2024; 88:102510. [PMID: 38056243 PMCID: PMC10835339 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood brain tumours (CBTs) are the leading cause of cancer death in children under the age of 20 years globally. Though the aetiology of CBT remains poorly understood, it is thought to be multifactorial. We aimed to synthesize potential risk factors for CBT to inform primary prevention. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies indexed in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases from the start of those resources through 27 July 2023. We included data from case-control or cohort studies that reported effect estimates for each risk factor around the time of conception, during pregnancy and/or during post-natal period. Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate summary effect sizes (ES) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We also quantified heterogeneity (I2) across studies. FINDINGS A total of 4040 studies were identified, of which 181 studies (85 case-control and 96 cohort studies) met our criteria for inclusion. Of all eligible studies, 50% (n = 91) were conducted in Europe, 32% (n = 57) in North America, 9% (n = 16) in Australia, 8% (n = 15) in Asia, 1% (n = 2) in South America, and none in Africa. We found associations for some modifiable risk factors including childhood domestic exposures to insecticides (ES 1.44, 95% CI 1.20-1.73) and herbicides (ES 2.38, 95% CI 1.31-4.33). Maternal domestic exposure to insecticides (ES 1.45, 95% CI 1.09-1.94), maternal consumption of cured meat (ES 1.51, 95% CI 1.05-2.17) and coffee ≥ 2 cups/day (ES 1.45, 95% 95% CI 1.07-1.95) during pregnancy, and maternal exposure to benzene (ES 2.22; 95% CI 1.01-4.88) before conception were associated with CBTs in case-control studies. Also, paternal occupational exposure to pesticides (ES 1.48, 95% CI 1.23-1.77) and benzene (ES 1.74, 95% CI 1.10-2.76) before conception and during pregnancy were associated in case-control studies and in combined analysis. On the other hand, assisted reproductive technology (ART) (ES 1.32, 95% CI 1.05-1.67), caesarean section (CS) (ES 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25), paternal occupational exposure to paint before conception (ES 1.56, 95% CI 1.02-2.40) and maternal smoking > 10 cigarettes per day during pregnancy (ES 1.18, 95% CI 1.00-1.40) were associated with CBT in cohort studies. Maternal intake of vitamins and folic acid during pregnancy was inversely associated in cohort studies. Hormonal/infertility treatment, breastfeeding, child day-care attendance, maternal exposure to electric heated waterbed, tea and alcohol consumption during pregnancy were among those not associated with CBT in both case-control and cohort studies. CONCLUSION Our results should be interpreted with caution, especially as most associations between risk factors and CBT were discordant between cohort and case-control studies. At present, it is premature for any CBT to define specific primary prevention guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix M Onyije
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France.
| | - Roya Dolatkhah
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Ann Olsson
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Liacine Bouaoun
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Isabelle Deltour
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Friederike Erdmann
- Research Group Aetiology and Inequalities in Childhood Cancer, Division of Childhood Cancer Epidemiology Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstraβe 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Audrey Bonaventure
- Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers Team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Villejuif, France
| | - Michael E Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics, Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jacqueline Clavel
- Epidemiology of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers Team, Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Center for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Villejuif, France; National Registry of Childhood Cancers, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Villejuif, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), 25 avenue Tony Garnier, CS 90627, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
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