FAMILY HISTORY OF CANCER AND SEIZURES IN YOUNG-CHILDREN WITH BRAIN-TUMORS - A REPORT FROM THE CHILDRENS CANCER GROUP (UNITED-STATES AND CANADA)

The occurrence of cancer and neurological disorders in first- and seco nd-degree relatives of children in the United States and Canada diagno sed with brain tumor before age six was investigated. A pair-matched c ase-control study with 155 astrocytoma and 166 primitive neuroectoderm al tumor (PNET) cases was performed. Cases were identified through the Childrens Cancer Group. Controls were selected by random-digit dialin g and matched to cases on age, race, and telephone area code and excha nge. Childhood cancers were more common in PNET relatives compared wit h the general population (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 2.5, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.8, P = 0.02) and with control relatives (odds ratio [OR] = 3.0, CI = 0.5-30, P = 0.29). For astrocyt oma, nonsignificant excesses of brain tumor, leukemia/lymphoma, and ch ildhood cancer occurred among case relatives compared with control rel atives, but not compared with the general population. Astrocytoma case s were significantly more likely than controls to have a relative with seizures (OR = 2.5, CI = 1.2-4.9, P = 0.009), especially childhood se izures (OR = 3.4, CI = 1.2-12, P = 0.02), epilepsy (OR = 3.0, CI = 0.9 -13,P = 0.08), and febrile convulsions (OR = 4.5, CI = 0.9-43, P = 0.0 7). A family history of stroke was not a risk factor for either type o f brain tumor. These results suggest that some childhood brain tumors may result from a genetic susceptibility and that some risk factors ma y affect childhood astrocytoma and PNET differently.