Revista de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río (Jun 2017)
Contribution of the genome and the environment in the development of acute leukemia in childhood
Abstract
Introduction: in addition to being the most common cancer in childhood, leukemia was the leading cause of death due to neoplasms in Cuban children during the year 2015. The risk of acute leukemia in childhood which is attributable to genetic predisposition, environmental factors and the interaction of both is unknown in Pinar del Río. Objective: to determine the contribution of genetic and environmental factors along with the interaction between them in the development of acute leukemia throughout pediatric ages from 1985 to 2015. Method: an observational-analytical, case-control, population-based study was carried out in the confirmatory phase. The sample consisted of 39 cases from Pinar del Río province with a history of having been diagnosed with acute leukemia before the age 19, and 78 controls matched according to age, sex and area of residence. Results: exposure to pesticides / insecticides was the predominant environmental risk factor (OR = 5.91, 95% CI: 2.51-13.94). The history of viral infections was considered a protective factor (OR = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.05-0.42), positive family history of leukemia was interpreted as genetic risk (OR = 4.05, 95% CI: 1.11-14.80), the environmental genome interaction increased twice the risk of leukemia (OR = 2). Conclusions: positive environmental exposure and the presence of predisposing genotype increase the risk of acute leukemia in children from Pinar del Río, confirming the multifactorial nature of this disease.
