title: Maternal exposure to household chemicals and risk of infant leukemia: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Utilizing data from the largest study to date, we examined associations between maternal preconception/prenatal exposure to household chemicals and infant acute leukemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present data from a Children's Oncology Group case-control study of 443 infants (<1 year of age) diagnosed with acute leukemia [including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML)] between 1996 and 2006 and 324 population controls. Mothers recalled household chemical use 1 month before and throughout pregnancy. We used unconditional logistic regression adjusted for birth year, maternal age, and race/ethnicity to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not find evidence for an association between infant leukemia and eight of nine chemical categories. However, exposure to petroleum products during pregnancy was associated with AML (OR = 2.54; 95% CI:1.40-4.62) and leukemia without mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene rearrangements ("MLL-") (OR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.47-4.93). No associations were observed for exposure in the month before pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gestational exposure to petroleum products was associated with infant leukemia, particularly AML, and MLL- cases. Benzene is implicated as a potential carcinogen within this exposure category, but a clear biological mechanism has yet to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Linabery
authors.forename: Logan G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Kimberly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Joanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hilden
authors.forename: Nyla A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Heerema
authors.forename: Leslie L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Robison
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006795:Household Products / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors