Maternal pregestational diabetes and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the offspring: A population-based study in Northern Italy

Lucia Borsari; Carlotta Malagoli; Fiammetta Della Torre; Monica Cellini; Rossella Rodolfi; Andrea Pession; Marco Vinceti

doi:10.1016/j.canep.2019.101572

Maternal pregestational diabetes and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the offspring: A population-based study in Northern Italy

Cancer Epidemiol. 2019 Oct:62:101572. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2019.101572. Epub 2019 Jul 20.

Authors

Lucia Borsari¹, Carlotta Malagoli², Fiammetta Della Torre³, Monica Cellini⁴, Rossella Rodolfi⁵, Andrea Pession⁶, Marco Vinceti⁷

Affiliations

¹ Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Centre (CREAGEN), Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi, 287, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Centre (CREAGEN), Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi, 287, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Paediatrics, Sant'Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Division of Paediatric Oncology-Haematology, Policlinico Hospital, Largo del Pozzo, 71, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Local Health Authority of Reggio Emilia, Via Giovanni Amendola, 2, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Department of Paediatrics, Sant'Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna, Via Giuseppe Massarenti, 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Centre (CREAGEN), Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi, 287, 41125 Modena, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, United States. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 31336345
DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2019.101572

Abstract

Introduction: This population-based study aims to evaluate the association between maternal pregestational diabetes and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the offspring.

Methods: All 241,958 children born in three Northern Italy provinces 1998-2010 were followed from birth until first cancer diagnosis (National Childhood Cancer Register), age 15 years, or 31 December 2017. We computed hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI of ALL in relation to the presence of maternal diabetes through Cox proportional regression models.

Results: We observed 145 cases of ALL, with a higher incidence in children born to women with pregestational diabetes compared to the others (12.4 vs 4.6). Adjusted hazard ratio of ALL was 2.6 (CI, 0.6-10.5) for maternal diabetes.

Discussion: We estimated higher risks of ALL in the offspring of women with pregestational diabetes. These results are consistent with previous findings and compatible with a role of prenatal glycaemic environment in childhood cancer aetiology.

Keywords: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Childhood cancers; Pregestational diabetes; Risk factors.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Diabetes, Gestational / genetics*
Female
Humans
Italy
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / epidemiology
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / etiology*
Pregnancy
Risk Factors