Peculiarities of menstrual function in mothers of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the peculiarities of menstrual function in a group of mothers having children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).


METHODS
The case-control method was used, taking into consideration the age at first menstruation, cycle regularity, duration of menstruation and discharge quantity. The case group included 160 mothers with children suffering from ALL and the control group included 160 mothers having healthy children of the same age and sex.


RESULTS
Alterations of the menstrual function in mothers of patients with ALL occur with statistically higher rate as compared with mothers having healthy children. Mothers of pediatric patients with ALL showed later menarche (>or= 15 years of age), reduced (to 2 days) or prolonged (over 6 days) menses duration, as well as irregularity of the menstrual cycle combined with prolonged menses duration.


CONCLUSIONS
Menstrual disorders in mothers of child ren with ALL occur with reliably higher frequency as compared with women having healthy children. A common origin of both events (predisposition to malignancies and menstrual disorders) is suggested pointing to inherited genomic instability.
Kitsera
N
N
Institute of Hereditary Pathology, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Lviv, Ukraine. natandi@complex.lviv.ua
Akopjan
H
H
Polishchuk
R
R
Helner
N
N
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008572:Menarche; D008598:Menstruation; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009035:Mothers; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics