Paternal polycyclic hydrocarbon exposure boosts brain tumor risk in offspring

Paternal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may increase the risk of brain tumors in subsequently conceived children, researchers report in the July 15th issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Dr. Sylvaine Cordier of Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, in Rennes, France, and colleagues point out that “experimental evidence suggests that parental exposure to PAH, which occurs primarily through tobacco smoke, occupational exposure, and air pollution, could increase the risk of cancer during childhood “The researchers used data from population-based, case-control studies carried out in seven countries to compare data from 1218 cases of childhood brain tumor and 2223 controls. A job exposure matrix was used to estimate parental PAH exposure during the 5 years before birth, and risk estimates were adjusted for child’s age, sex, and the study center. An association was found between paternal pre-conceptional occupational PAH exposure and increased risks of all childhood brain tumors (odds ratio, 1.3) and astroglial tumors (odds ratio, 1.4). No evidence of an increase in risk was observed with increasing level of exposure.Compared with non-smoking, non-occupationally exposed fathers, paternal smoking alone was associated with an increased risk of astroglial tumors (odds ratio, 1.4). For all tumors, the corresponding odds ratio was 1.1.Maternal occupational exposure to PAH during pregnancy was rare, according to the investigators. Moreover, no significant association was found between maternal occupational exposure and any type of childhood brain tumor. (Source: Am J Epidemiol 2004;159:1109-1116: Reuters Health News: July 2004)