Abstract
The occurrence of cancer among parents, siblings, and offspring of 725 children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors was compared with occurrence of cancer among such relatives of 360 birth certificate controls, using the Connecticut Tumor Registry. 84 (12%) of the children with CNS tumors (cases), none of whom had neurofibromatosis, and 42 controls (12%) had at least one first-degree relative with cancer. However, certain types of cancer were much more frequent among relatives of cases. There were 9 CNS tumors and 3 other nervous system tumors among relatives of cases, but no nervous system tumors among relatives of controls. Leukemia occurred in 6 relatives of cases but in no relatives of controls. Disproportionately many patients with cancer of the bladder, ovaries, and uterus were similarly found among relatives of cases. 12 siblings of cases developed cancer before age 20, while only 1 sibling of a control did. In each of 3 families, 3 siblings developed various cancers, confirming previously reported associations of CNS tumors, leukemia, and colonic cancer. Children with more malignant tumors (eg, medulloblastoma) were more likely to have a relative with a CNS tumor than children with better-differentiated tumors (eg, astrocytoma). These data suggest that there is a familial occurrence of CNS tumors, and that the occurrence of a CNS tumor in a child may be associated with an increased incidence of CNS tumors, leukemia, and childhood tumors in general among his relatives.
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