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Cancer Causes & Control

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01-07-2016 | Original paper

Maternal prenatal intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients and risk of childhood leukemia

Authors: Amanda W. Singer, Steve Selvin, Gladys Block, Carla Golden, Suzan L. Carmichael, Catherine Metayer

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 7/2016

Abstract

Purpose

Folate, vitamins B12 and B6, riboflavin, and methionine are critical nutrients for the one-carbon metabolism cycle involved in DNA synthesis and epigenetic processes. We examined the association between maternal intake of these nutrients before pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a matched case–control study.

Methods

Maternal dietary intake and vitamin supplement use in the year before pregnancy was assessed by food frequency questionnaire for 681 ALL cases, 103 AML cases, and 1076 controls. Principal component analysis was used to construct a variable representing combined nutrient intake, and conditional logistic regression estimated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association of ALL and AML with the principal component and each nutrient.

Results

Higher maternal intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients from food and supplements combined was associated with reduced risk of ALL (OR for one-unit change in the principal component = 0.91, CI 0.84–0.99) and possibly AML (OR for the principal component = 0.83, CI 0.66–1.04). When analyzed separately, intake of supplements high in these nutrients was associated with a reduced risk of ALL in children of Hispanic women only.

Conclusions

In conclusion, these data suggest that higher maternal intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients may reduce risk of childhood leukemia.

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Title: Maternal prenatal intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients and risk of childhood leukemia
Authors: Amanda W. Singer
Steve Selvin
Gladys Block
Carla Golden
Suzan L. Carmichael
Catherine Metayer
Publication date: 01-07-2016
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 7/2016
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-016-0773-y

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