A case-control study of sporadic retinoblastoma in relation to maternal health conditions and reproductive factors: a report from the Children's Oncology group.
BACKGROUND
The early age at retinoblastoma occurrence, the most common eye malignancy in childhood, suggests that perinatal factors may contribute to its etiology.


METHODS
In a large multicenter study of non-familial retinoblastoma, we conducted structured interviews with the parents of 280 cases and 146 controls to elicit information on health during the perinatal period. We used unconditional logistic regression to assess associations between retinoblastoma and parental fertility treatment, birth control use in the year prior to pregnancy, maternal health conditions and the use of prescription medications during pregnancy, and whether mothers breastfed the index child.


RESULTS
Bilateral retinoblastoma was related to maternal underweight (body mass index <18.5) prior to pregnancy [Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.5, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.0, 20]. With regards to unilateral retinoblastoma, we observed a negative association with the use of condoms in the year prior to pregnancy (OR = 0.4, CI 0.2, 0.9), and a trend towards a positive association with maternal diabetes (OR = 2.2, CI 0.8, 6.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Results from our study suggest a role for several maternal health and reproductive factors. Given that there are few epidemiologic studies of retinoblastoma, our results require replication in studies which utilize medical record review.
Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E Young Dr, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. jeheck@ucla.edu.
Julia E
JE
Heck
Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E Young Dr, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. negar.omid@gmail.com.
Negar
N
Omidakhsh
Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E Young Dr, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. sazary@ucla.edu.
Saeedeh
S
Azary
Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E Young Dr, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. britz@ucla.edu.
Beate
B
Ritz
Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E Young Dr, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. ovehren@ucla.edu.
Ondine S
OS
von Ehrenstein
Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Room 1472, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. gretabunin@gmail.com.
Greta R
GR
Bunin
Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, USA415 Anatomy Chemistry Building, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. GANGULY@MAIL.MED.UPENN.EDU.
Arupa
A
Ganguly
D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D000068097:Maternal Health; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D017584:Reproductive History; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology