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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Richard McNallyORCiD
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The actiology of childhood cancer is poorly, understood. Both genetic and environmental factors are likely to be involved. The presence of spatial clustering is indicative of a very localized environmental component to aetiology. Spatial clustering is present when there are a small number of areas with greatly, increased incidence or it large number of areas with moderately increased incidence. To determine whether localized environmental factors may play a part in childhood cancer aetiology, we analyzed for spatial clustering using a large set of national population-based data from Great Britain diagnosed 1969-1993. The Potthoff-Whitinghill method was used to test for extra-Poisson variation (EPV). Thirty-two thousand three hundred and twenty-three cases were allocated to 10,444 wards using diagnosis addresses. Analyses showed statistically significant evidence of clustering for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) over the whole age range (estimate of EPV = 0.05, p = 0.002) and for ages 1-4, years (estimate of EPV = 0.03, p = 0.015). Soft-tissue sarcoma (estimate of EPV = 0.03, p = 0.04) and Wilms tumours (estimate of EPV = 0.04, p = 0.007) also showed significant clustering. Clustering tended to persist across different time periods for cases of ALL, (estimate of between-time period EPV = 0.04, p =0.003). In conclusion, we observed low level spatial clustering that is attributable to a limited number of cases. This suggests that environmental factors, which in some locations display. localized clustering, may be important aetiological agents in these diseases. For ALL, and soft tissue sarcoma, but not Wilms tumour, common infections agents may be likely candidates. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss. Inc.
Author(s): McNally RJQ, Alexander FE, Vincent TJ, Murphy MFG
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Cancer
Year: 2009
Volume: 124
Issue: 4
Pages: 932-936
ISSN (print): 0020-7136
ISSN (electronic): 1097-0215
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijc.23965
DOI: 10.1002/ijc.23965
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