An infectious aetiology for childhood brain tumours? Evidence from space-time clustering and seasonality analyses

被引：0
作者：
McNally R.J.Q. [1 ]
Cairns D.P. [1 ]
Eden O.B. [2 ]
Alexander F.E. [3 ]
Taylor G.M. [4 ]
Kelsey A.M. [5 ]
Birch J.M. [1 ]
机构：
[1] Cancer Research UK Paediatric and Familial Cancer Research Group, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust
[2] Academic Unit of Paediatric Oncology, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust, Manchester M27 4HA, Hospital Road
[3] Department of Public Health Sciences, The University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, Teviot Place
[4] Immunogenetics Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, St. Mary's Hospital
[5] Department of Pathology, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust, Manchester M27 4HA, Hospital Road
来源：
British Journal of Cancer | 2002年 / 86卷 / 7期
关键词：
Aetiology; Brain tumours; Children; Infection; Seasonal variation; Space-time clustering;
D O I：
10.1038/sj.bjc.6600228
中图分类号：
学科分类号：
摘要：
To investigate whether infections or other environmental exposures may be involved in the aetiology of childhood central nervous system tumours, we have analysed for space-time clustering and seasonality using population-based data from the North West of England for the period 1954 to 1998. Knox tests for space-time interactions between cases were applied with fixed thresholds of close in space, < 5 km, and close in time, < 1 year apart. Addresses at birth and diagnosis were used. Tests were repeated replacing geographical distance with distance to the Nth nearest neighbour. N was chosen such that the mean distance was 5 km. Data were also examined by a second order procedure based on K-functions. Tests for heterogeneity and Edwards' test for sinusoidal variation were applied to examine changes of incidence with month of birth or diagnosis. There was strong evidence of space-time clustering, particularly involving cases of astrocytoma and ependymoma. Analyses of seasonal variation showed excesses of cases born in the late Autumn or Winter. Results are consistent with a role for infections in a proportion of cases from these diagnostic groups. Further studies are needed to identify putative infectious agents. © 2002 Cancer Research UK.
引用
收藏
页码：1070 / 1077
页数：7
相关论文
共 16 条
  • [1] Barbanti-Brodano G., Martini F., De Mattei M., Lazzarin L., Tognon M., BK and JC human polyomaviruses and simian virus 40: Natural history of infection in humans, experimental oncogenicity and association with human tumours, Adv Virus Res, 50, pp. 66-96, (1997)
  • [2] Birch J.M., Manchester Children's Tumour Registry 1954-1970 and 1971-1983, International Incidence of Childhood Cancer, pp. 299-304, (1988)
  • [3] Birch J.M., Alexander F.E., Blair V., Eden O.B., Taylor G.M., McNally R.J.Q., Space-time clustering patterns in childhood leukaemia support a role for infection, Br J Cancer, 82, pp. 1571-1576, (2000)
  • [4] Bondy M.L., Lustbader E.D., Buffler P.A., Schull W.J., Hardy R.J., Strong L.C., Genetic epidemiology of childhood brain tumors, Genet Epidemiol, 8, pp. 253-267, (1991)
  • [5] Diggle P.J., Chetwynd A.G., Haggkvist R., Morris S.E., Second-order analysis of space-time clustering, Stat Methods Med Res, 4, pp. 124-136, (1995)
  • [6] Edwards J.H., The recognition and estimation of cyclic trends, Ann Hum Genet, 25, pp. 83-86, (1961)
  • [7] Fear N.T., Roman E., Ansell P., Bull D., Malignant neoplasms of the brain during childhood: The role of prenatal and neonatal factors, Cancer Causes and Control, 12, pp. 443-449, (2001)
  • [8] Hjalmars U., Kulldorff M., Wahlqvist Y., Lannering B., Increased incidence rates but no space-time clustering of childhood astrocytoma in Sweden, 1973-1992: A population-based study of pediatric brain tumors, Cancer, 85, pp. 2077-2090, (1999)
  • [9] Kleihues P., Cavenee W.K., Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Nervous System, pp. 6-7, (2000)
  • [10] Knox E.G., The detection of space-time interactions, Applied Stats, 13, pp. 25-29, (1964)
12