Parental age and the risk of childhood acute myeloid leukemia: results from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium

Cancer Epidemiol. 2019 Apr:59:158-165. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2019.01.022. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Abstract

Background: Parental age has been associated with several childhood cancers, albeit the evidence is still inconsistent.

Aim: To examine the associations of parental age at birth with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) among children aged 0-14 years using individual-level data from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium (CLIC) and non-CLIC studies.

Material/methods: We analyzed data of 3182 incident AML cases and 8377 controls from 17 studies [seven registry-based case-control (RCC) studies and ten questionnaire-based case-control (QCC) studies]. AML risk in association with parental age was calculated using multiple logistic regression, meta-analyses, and pooled-effect estimates. Models were stratified by age at diagnosis (infants <1 year-old vs. children 1-14 years-old) and by study design, using five-year parental age increments and controlling for sex, ethnicity, birthweight, prematurity, multiple gestation, birth order, maternal smoking and education, age at diagnosis (cases aged 1-14 years), and recruitment time period.

Results: Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) derived from RCC, but not from the QCC, studies showed a higher AML risk for infants of mothers ≥40-year-old (OR = 6.87; 95% CI: 2.12-22.25). There were no associations observed between any other maternal or paternal age group and AML risk for children older than one year.

Conclusions: An increased risk of infant AML with advanced maternal age was found using data from RCC, but not from QCC studies; no parental age-AML associations were observed for older children.

Keywords: Childhood cancer; Epidemiology; Infant acute myeloid leukemia; Maternal age; Paternal age; Risk factors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Birth Weight
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / epidemiology*
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Parents*
  • Registries
  • Risk
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult