Study shows birth weight may be associated with leukemia

July 3, 2:42 PMBlood Cancers ExaminerCathy Doheny

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A study published in the International Journal of Cancer shows that birth weight may be associated with leukemia. In particular, the study, conducted by Dr. Robert W. Caughey of the Harvard School of Public Health and Dr. Karin B. Michels of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, suggested that there is an association between high birth weight and an overall risk of leukemia.

Caughey and Michels conducted the analysis using 32 studies comprised of 16,501 cases of all types of leukemia, 10,974 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and 1,832 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Compared with normal birth weight, high birth weight increased the risk of leukemia by 35%, the risk of developing ALL was increased by 23%, and the risk of developing AML was increased by 40%.

"For every 1000 gram increase in birth weight, the odds ratio for overall leukemia increased by 1.18," the report states.

Results of the study also indicated that there appears to be an association between AML and both high and low extremes of birth weight. In fact, low birth weight is associated with a 49% increased risk in a child developing AML.

"There is a growing body of evidence indicating that childhood leukemia is initiated in utero," Caughey and Michels reported in the International Journal of Cancer.

 For more info: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Childhood Blood Cancers