Childhood Leukemia
Summary
Although it is the most prevalent of childhood cancers, the causes of childhood leukemia are largely unknown. Leukemia most probably arises from adverse gene-environment interactions. The environmental factors involved, including chemical exposures and diet, are difficult to study because they can only be examined retrospectively. However, the genetic component of the gene-environment interaction is becoming relatively easy to study through new genomic technologies and should provide clues as to where to focus the search for environmental causes. Our research group is studying the possible link between environmental exposures and leukemia in collaboration with Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study (NCCLS) investigators led by Professor Patricia Buffler and recently reported associations with parental exposures to solvents and paints.
Through other collaborations with Professor Buffler in the UCB School of Public Health, we are investigating the possible environmental origins of childhood leukemias. One avenue of inquiry has focused upon measurements of chemicals in house dust as surrogates for exposures of children in their homes. Participants in the case-control study of childhood leukemia provide vacuum cleaner dust bags to our laboratory, where we extract chemicals from the dust and analyze for specific chemicals including nicotine (a surrogate for smoking in the home), PAHs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
Updates
We conducted a comprehensive review and meta-analysis on the NQO1 polymorphism and childhood leukemia. Although results were not statistically significant, transmission of a certain variant allele from parents to offspring showed increased risk of developing childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
We have also recently received funding to develop assays for measuring protein adducts in fetal dried blood spots (DBS) as potential biomarkers of in utero exposures to chemical toxicants. By comparing adduct levels in DBS collected at birth from childhood leukemia cases and matched controls, we hope to identify possible carcinogens that contribute to childhood leukemia risk.
Selected Publications
Schwilk E, Zhang L, Smith MT, Smith AH, Steinmaus C (2010) Formaldehyde and leukemia: An updated meta-analysis and evaluation of bias. J/ Occup Environ Med/. Aug 25 [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 20798648. [PDF]
Whitehead T, Metayer C, Ward MH, Nishioka MG, Gunier R, Colt JS, Reynolds P, Selvin S, Buffler P, Rappaport SM (2009) Is house-dust nicotine a good surrogate for household smoking? Am J Epidemiol. May 1;169(9):1113-23. PMID: 19299402. [Abstract] [Full Text]
Scelo, G, Metayer, C, Zhang L, Wiemels, JL, Aldrich MC, Selvin S, Month S, Smith MT, Buffler PA (2009) Household exposure to paint and Petroleum solvents, chromosomal translocations and the risk of childhood leukemia. Environ Health Perspect. Jan 117(1):133-9. PMCID: 2627857. [Abstract] [Full Text]
Guha N, Chang JS, Chokkalingam AP, Wiemels JL, Smith MT, Buffler PA (2008) NQO1 Polymorphisms and De Novo Childhood Leukemia: A HuGE Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Epidemiology, Dec 1;168(11):1221-32. PMID: 18945694. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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