FAMILY HISTORY AS A RISK FACTOR FOR ULCERATIVE COLITIS-ASSOCIATED COLON-CANCER IN COTTON-TOP TAMARIN

Background & Aims: Little is currently known about the relationship be tween family history of colon cancer and ulcerative colitis-associated colon cancer, A nested case-control study was performed to evaluate t he association between family history of colon cancer and spontaneousl y occurring colon cancer in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). Me thods: Subjects were chosen from a colony of cotton-top tamarins held in captivity between 1968 and 1995, The cancer status of parents and g randparents was compared for 48 animals with colon cancer and 58 contr ols, all with histological confirmation of ulcerative colitis. Multiva riate odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression. Results: A parental history of colon cancer was positively associated with risk of colon cancer (multivariate odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interva l, 1.1-6.3), Risk also increased as an animal's total number of family members with colon cancer increased (multivariate odds ratio, 1.7 for each increase in the total number of family members with cancer; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.8). Conclusions: The results suggest that c otton-top tamarins with ulcerative colitis are at significant increase d risk for developing colon cancer if they have a family history of co lon cancer. Further investigation of this relationship in both tamarin s and humans is warranted.