PRENATAL AND PERINATAL FACTORS IN CHILDHOOD CANCER

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 8  (1) , 27-42
Abstract
Malignant tumors in childhood reported to the Finnish Cancer Registry in 1959-1968 were studied. The maternity health center cards for these children were collected through the National Board of Health. The immediately preceding parturient of the same maternity health center was used as the control. The number of complete pairs obtained for the final analysis was 972. All data concerning parents, pregnancy, parturition and child were extracted from the cards. Information on the cancer patient and the paired control was compared. The results are presented as a comparison of the total tumor series and the controls, and in smaller subgroups: leukemias (373 cases), brain tumors (245 cases) and other tumors (354 cases). Other tumors are further divided into kidney tumors (96), eye tumors (37) and bone tumors (56). No significant correlations were found between potential etiologic factors and the cancer cases. The risk ratio for leukemia in the group with pelvic radiography was 1.9, and in the group given vaccination against polio 1.8. Because of the rare occurrence of the exposure mentioned these groups were small and the increase in the risk ratio was statistically insignificant. BCG vaccination of children was common (90%) and no differences were established between the tumor and control groups in this respect.

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