Skip to main content
eScholarship
Open Access Publications from the University of California

UCLA

UCLA Previously Published Works bannerUCLA

Case-control study of birth characteristics and the risk of hepatoblastoma

Published Web Location

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679264/
No data is associated with this publication.
Abstract

Background

Hepatoblastoma is a malignant embryonal tumor typically diagnosed in children younger than five years of age. Little is known on hepatoblastoma etiology.

Methods

We matched California Cancer Registry records of hepatoblastomas diagnosed in children younger than age 6 from 1988 to 2007 to birth records using a probabilistic record linkage program, yielding 261 cases. Controls (n=218,277), frequency matched by birth year to all cancer cases in California for the same time period, were randomly selected from California birth records. We examined demographic and socioeconomic information, birth characteristics, pregnancy history, complications in pregnancy, labor and delivery, and abnormal conditions and clinical procedures relating to the newborn, with study data taken from birth certificates.

Results

We observed increased risks for hepatoblastoma among children with low [1500-2499 g, Odds Ratio (OR)=2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-3.15] and very low birthweight (<1500 g, OR=15.4, 95% CI 10.7-22.3), preterm birth <33 weeks (OR=7.27, 95% CI 5.00, 10.6), small size for gestational age (OR=1.75, 95% CI 1.25-2.45), and with multiple birth pregnancies (OR=2.52, 95% CI 1.54-4.14). We observed a number of pregnancy and labor complications to be related to hepatoblastoma, including preeclampsia, premature labor, fetal distress, and congenital anomalies.

Conclusion

These findings confirm previously reported associations with low birthweight and preeclampsia. The relation with multiple birth pregnancies has been previously reported and may indicate a relation to infertility treatments.

Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.

Item not freely available? Link broken?
Report a problem accessing this item