Mother's Exposure to Pollutants May Contribute to Testicular Cancer Years Later

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http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/press/060303.html

 

Mother's Exposure to Pollutants May Contribute to Testicular Cancer Years Later

 

Study Published Today in Environmental Health Perspectives Suggests Exposure and

Cancer May Be Related

 

 

[RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC] Mothers of men with testicular cancer show

significantly greater concentrations of certain persistent organic pollutants in

their blood than mothers of men who don't have the cancer, according to the

findings of a study published today in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental

Health Perspectives (EHP).

In a study of more than 100 Swedish men recruited for the study from 1997 to

2000, researchers analyzed blood samples for concentrations of 38

organochlorines. They studied 61 men with testicular cancer and 58 similarly

aged men without cancer as controls. To test the potential connection between

fetal exposure to pollutants and incidence of testicular cancer, the researchers

also performed similar analysis on the men's mothers. The study authors

theorized that current levels of these substances in the mothers would

correspond with their levels during pregnancy.

There was little difference in organochlorine blood levels between the case men

and the control men, with the exception of one pollutant, cis-nonachlordane,

which was significantly increased in the cases. The case mothers, however,

showed significantly increased concentrations of total organochlorines relative

to the control mothers. The editors of EHP classified it as an important study,

but caution against drawing conclusions without further review of the issue.

" The theory that testicular cancer is initiated during the fetal period is an

important one, and this study certainly suggests an association between exposure

and cancer that is worthy of further study, " says Dr. Jim Burkhart, science

editor for EHP. " Because of the long period between the potential cause and the

incidence of cancer, the researchers faced immediate challenges. But with the

long half-life of many of these pollutants, current levels of exposure may

correlate with exposure levels during child-bearing years. What we know for sure

is that this is worth continuing to examine. "

The researchers analyzed the data for other factors, including body mass index,

length of breastfeeding, and smoking, but found no significant changes to the

results.

Even if exposure in utero is found to lead to testicular cancer, the researchers

can point to some positive developments: " The concentration of persistent

organic pollutants in mothers' milk reflects the body burden, " the study authors

wrote. " Decreasing concentrations of many of these [pollutants] have been found

in Swedish breast milk since the 1980s. The highest concentrations were found in

the early 1970s. Because the median age among the cases was 30 years, most of

them were born during the period with high concentration in the populations. "

The study team was lead by Lennart Hardell of the Department of Oncology at

University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden. Other team members included Bert van

Bavel, Gunilla Lindstrom, Michael Carlberg, Ann Charlotte Dreifaldt, Hans

Wijkstrom, Hans Starkhammar, Mikael Eriksson, Arne Hallquist, and Torgny

Kolmert.

EHP is the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,

part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More information is

available online at http://www.ehponline.org/.

Editor's note: A full copy of the report is available by fax or e-mail (PDF

format) to media at no charge. Go to www.ehponline.org/press, call 919-653-2585,

or e-mail rsears.

 

 

 

 

 

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