Abstract
This report describes a population-based case-control study that aimed to assess and quantify the risk of children with congenital malformations developing cancer. Three sources of data were used: the Victorian Cancer Register, the Victorian Perinatal Data Register (VPDR) and the Victorian Congenital Malformations/Birth Defects Register. Cases included all Victorian children born between 1984 and 1993 who developed cancer. Four controls per case, matched on birth date, were randomly selected from the VPDR. Record linkage between registers provided malformation data. A matched case-control analysis was undertaken. Of the 632 cancer cases, 570 (90.2%) were linked to the VPDR. The congenital malformation prevalence in children with cancer was 9.6% compared with 2.5% in the controls [odds ratio (OR) 4.5, 95% CI 3.1-6.7]. A strong association was found with chromosomal defects (OR=16.7, 95% CI 6.1-45.3), in particular Down's syndrome (OR=27.1, 95% CI 6.0-122). Most other birth defect groups were also associated with increased cancer risk. The increased risk of leukaemia in children with Down's syndrome was confirmed, and children with central nervous system (CNS) defects were found to be at increased risk of CNS tumours. The report confirms that children with congenital malformations have increased risks of various malignancies. These findings may provide clues to the underlying aetiology of childhood cancer, as congenital malformations are felt to be a marker of exposures or processes which may increase cancer risk. The usefulness of record linkage between accurate population-based registers in the epidemiological study of disease has also been reinforced.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Altmann, A., Halliday, J. & Giles, G. Associations between congenital malformations and childhood cancer. A register-based case-control study. Br J Cancer 78, 1244–1249 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1998.662
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1998.662
This article is cited by
-
PAX3/7-FOXO1 fusion-negative alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in Schuurs-Hoeijmakers syndrome
Journal of Human Genetics (2022)
-
Maternal and perinatal characteristics, congenital malformations and the risk of wilms tumor: the ESTELLE study
Cancer Causes & Control (2020)
-
Neonatal tumours
Pediatric Surgery International (2013)
-
Paediatric germ cell tumours and congenital abnormalities: a Children's Oncology Group study
British Journal of Cancer (2009)
-
Perinatal risk factors for neuroblastoma
Cancer Causes & Control (2009)