Increased Cancer Risk With Congenital Abnormalities

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Genetics
Article Date: 06 Mar 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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There is a 70 % increased risk for cancer among children with congenital abnormalities and this risk continues until young adulthood. Individuals with nervous system malformations, Down's syndrome and multiple birth defects have the highest cancer risk. This is shown by new research that has used data from, among other sources, the Medical Birth Registry at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

Cancer and congenital abnormalities could have a shared cause, which may be genetic or environmental. A defect may lead to physiological changes or to changes in lifestyle that could, in turn, affect the cancer risk.

The cancer and birth registers in Norway and Sweden, including the Medical Birth Registry at the NIPH, were linked to identify the occurrence of cancer among children with birth defects, their parents and their siblings. Altogether, 5.2 million children and their families were involved in the study.

Cancer risk also in young adults

The results show that there was a 70 % higher risk for cancer among children with congenital abnormalities in Norway and Sweden compared with children without defects. The risk continued into young adulthood. People with malformations in the nervous system had an increased risk for cancer in these organs and people with Down's syndrome had an increased risk for leukaemia. People with birth defects in multiple organ systems also had an increased cancer risk. There was no total increased cancer risk among parents and siblings of children with congenital abnormalities.

Even if there is no shared, genetic pre-disposition for cancer and defects generally, cancer may be a complication for some birth defects.

Reference

Cancer risk in families of children with birth defects. A population based cohort study of 5.2 million children from Norway and Sweden.
Bjørge T, Cnattingius S, Lie RT, Tretli S, Engeland A
Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 2008.

Related links

Cancer Risk in Children with Birth Defects and in Their Families: A Population Based Cohort Study of 5.2 Million Children from Norway and Sweden (Abstract from Cancer Epidem. Biomarkers & Prev.)

Norwegian Institute of Public Health