Paternal military service and risk for childhood leukemia in offspring

To assess the association between paternal military service and risk for ch ildhood leukemia, the authors analyzed data from three case-control studies conducted by the Children's Cancer Group from 1983 to 1993. A total of 605 acute myeloid leukemia (AML, age less than or equal to 18 years) cases, 2, 117 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, age less than or equal to 14 years) cases, and 3,155 individually matched controls were included in these studi es. Paternal military history and other exposure data were obtained in 2,34 3 matched case-control sets, including 1,805 ALL and 528 AML cases. Paterna l general military service was not associated with the leukemia risk. A sma ll, but significant, increase in the risk for AML was seen, however, among offspring of veterans who had served in Vietnam or Cambodia (odds ratio (OR ) = 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 2.9), after adjustment for pate rnal education, race, income, smoking, X-ray exposure, and marijuana use. T he risk was predominantly present in children diagnosed before the age of 2 (OR = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.3, 16.1), although there were inconsistencies in the risks associated with length of time served and interval between service an d diagnosis of leukemia. Military service in Vietnam or Cambodia was unrela ted to the risk for ALL. The etiologic importance, if any, of these observa tions has yet to be determined.