Household solvent exposures and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
This study explored the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) associated with participation by household members in hobbies or other home projects involving organic solvents.


METHODS
Participants in this case-control study were 640 subjects with ALL and 640 matched controls.


RESULTS
Childhood ALL was associated with frequent (> 4 times/month) exposure to model building (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.7, 5.8) and artwork using solvents (OR = 4.1; 95% CI = 1.1, 15.1). We also found elevated risk (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1, 2.7) among children whose mothers lived in homes painted extensively (> 4 rooms) in the year before the children's birth.


CONCLUSIONS
In this exploratory study, substantial participation by household members in some common household activities that involve organic solvents was associated with elevated risks of childhood ALL.
Freedman
D M
DM
Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Executive Plaza-South, Room 7087, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20892-7238, USA. mf101e@nih.gov
Stewart
P
P
Kleinerman
R A
RA
Wacholder
S
S
Hatch
E E
EE
Tarone
R E
RE
Robison
L L
LL
Linet
M S
MS
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006795:Household Products / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D012997:Solvents