The Association Between Parental Occupation and Childhood Malignancy

A case control study was conducted to test Fabia and Thuy's observation that there was an excess of fathers in hydrocarbon-related occupations among children who died of childhood cancer compared to their controls. The study comprised 692 children who were born and died in Massachusetts for the years 1947–1957, and 1963–1967 and a control group of 1,384. No significant association was found between the four major groups of childhood cancer and the three hydrocarbon-related occupations: (1) mechanics and gas station attendants; (2) machinists; and (3) painters, cleaners, and dyers. However, there were two significant associations: (a) paternal employment as a paper or pulp mill worker was associated with tumors of the brain and other parts of the nervous system (relative odds of 2.8); and (b) paternal employment as a mechanic or machinist was associated with tumors of the urinary tract (relative odds of 2.5). Without strong supporting evidence from other studies, the authors are reluctant to conclude that these associations are causal. A weak association between childhood leukemia-lymphoma and parents' ages was observed.