Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Residential exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and incidence of childhood hematological malignancies in France

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Few studies have investigated the relationship between solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) and childhood hematological malignancies (CHM). This study addresses the associations between residential UV exposure at diagnosis and the incidence of types and subtypes of CHM, by age and gender, in France, over a long period, on the fine scale of the 36,326 Communes that constitute mainland France.

Methods

The 9,082 cases of acute leukemia and 3,563 cases of lymphoma diagnosed before the age of 15 years from 1990 to 2009 were provided by the French National Registry of Childhood Hematological Malignancies. The incidence of CHM was calculated by Commune, year, age and gender and expressed as the standardized incidence ratio (SIR). UV data from 1988 to 2007 were extracted from the EUROSUN database.

Results

The annual daily average UV exposure of the children ranged from 85.5 to 137.8 J/cm2. For each additional 25 J/cm2, there was a significant increase in precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (PBC-ALL) in children aged less than 5 years (SIR 1.18; 95 % CI 1.10–1.27). Further analysis of PBC-ALL in the young children suggested a better fit of models with a threshold, with the risk increasing above 100 J/cm2, for which the SIR was 1.24 (95 % CI 1.14–1.36) for a 25 J/cm2 increase. The results remained stable in analyses stratifying by deprivation index or degree of urbanization of the Communes.

Conclusion

The study suggests that higher residential UV exposure may be positively associated with a higher incidence of PBC-ALL in early childhood.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

UV:

Ultraviolet

CHM:

Childhood hematological malignancies

AL:

Acute leukemia

ALL:

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

AML:

Acute myeloid leukemia

PBC-ALL:

Precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

NHL:

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

HL:

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

References

  1. Orsi L, Rudant J, Bonaventure A et al (2012) Genetic polymorphisms and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: GWAS of the ESCALE study (SFCE). Leukemia 26:2561–2564. doi:10.1038/leu.2012.148

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Rudant J, Menegaux F, Leverger G et al (2007) Household exposure to pesticides and risk of childhood hematopoietic malignancies: the ESCALE study (SFCE). Environ Health Perspect 115:1787–1793. doi:10.1289/ehp.10596

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Sermage-Faure C, Demoury C, Rudant J et al (2013) Childhood leukaemia close to high-voltage power lines—the Geocap study, 2002–2007. Br J Cancer 108:1899–1906. doi:10.1038/bjc.2013.128

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER (1992) IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. Solar and ultraviolet radiation. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 55:1–316

    Google Scholar 

  5. Autier P, Boniol M, Pizot C, Mullie P (2014) Vitamin D status and ill health: a systematic review. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2:76–89. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(13)70165-7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Doré J-F, Chignol M-C (2014) Vitamin D and cancer. OCL 21:D306. doi:10.1051/ocl/2013058

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. International Programme on Chemical Safety (1994) Ultraviolet radiation. Environ Health Criteria (EHC) 160:1–157

  8. Jiang W, Ananthaswamy HN, Muller HK et al (2001) UV irradiation augments lymphoid malignancies in mice with one functional copy of wild-type p53. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:9790–9795. doi:10.1073/pnas.171066498

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Puebla-Osorio N, Miyahara Y, Coimbatore S et al (2011) Induction of B-cell lymphoma by UVB radiation in p53 haploinsufficient mice. BMC Cancer 11:36. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-11-36

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Freedman DM, Zahm SH, Dosemeci M (1997) Residential and occupational exposure to sunlight and mortality from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: composite (threefold) case–control study. BMJ 314:1451. doi:10.1136/bmj.314.7092.1451

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kricker A, Armstrong BK, Hughes AM et al (2008) Personal sun exposure and risk of non hodgkin lymphoma: a pooled analysis from the interlymph consortium. Int J Cancer 122:144–154. doi:10.1002/ijc.23003

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wong K-Y, Tai B-C, Chia S-E et al (2012) Sun exposure and risk of lymphoid neoplasms in Singapore. Cancer Causes Control 23:1055–1064. doi:10.1007/s10552-012-9974-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Cahoon EK, Pfeiffer RM, Wheeler DC et al (2015) Relationship between ambient ultraviolet radiation and non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes: a US population-based study of racial and ethnic groups. Int J Cancer 136:E432–E441. doi:10.1002/ijc.29237

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bentham G (1996) Association between incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and solar ultraviolet radiation in England and Wales. BMJ 312:1128–1131. doi:10.1136/bmj.312.7039.1128

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Grandin L, Orsi L, Troussard X et al (2008) UV radiation exposure, skin type and lymphoid malignancies: results of a French case–control study. Cancer Causes Control CCC 19:305–315. doi:10.1007/s10552-007-9093-6

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Bertrand KA, Chang ET, Abel GA et al (2011) Sunlight exposure, vitamin D, and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the Nurses’ Health Study. Cancer Causes Control 22:1731–1741. doi:10.1007/s10552-011-9849-x

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Grant WB, Garland CF (2006) The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates. Anticancer Res 26:2687–2699

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Boscoe FP, Schymura MJ (2006) Solar ultraviolet-B exposure and cancer incidence and mortality in the United States, 1993–2002. BMC Cancer 6:264. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-6-264

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Mohr SB, Garland CF, Gorham ED et al (2011) Ultraviolet B and incidence rates of leukemia worldwide. Am J Prev Med 41:68–74. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2011.04.003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Monnereau A, Glaser SL, Schupp CW et al (2013) Exposure to UV radiation and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma: a pooled analysis. Blood 122:3492–3499. doi:10.1182/blood-2013-04-497586

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Uehara M, Takahashi K, Hoshuyama T et al (2003) Geographical correlation between ambient UVB level and mortality risk of leukemia in Japan. Environ Res 92:78–84. doi:10.1016/S0013-9351(03)00034-3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Musselman JRB, Spector LG (2010) Childhood cancer incidence in relation to sunlight exposure. Br J Cancer 104:214–220. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6606015

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Petridou ET, Dikalioti SK, Skalkidou A et al (2007) Sun exposure, birth weight, and childhood lymphomas: a case control study in Greece. Cancer Causes Control 18:1031–1037. doi:10.1007/s10552-007-9044-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Lombardi C, Heck JE, Cockburn M, Ritz B (2013) Solar UV radiation and cancer in young children. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev Publ Am Assoc Cancer Res Cosponsored Am Soc Prev Oncol 22:1118–1128. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-12-1316

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Timonen T, Näyhä S, Koskela T, Pukkala E (2007) Are sunlight deprivation and influenza epidemics associated with the onset of acute leukemia? Haematologica 92:1553–1556. doi:10.3324/haematol.10799

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Lacour B, Guyot-Goubin A, Guissou S et al (2010) Incidence of childhood cancer in France: National Children Cancer Registries, 2000–2004. Eur J Cancer Prev 19:173–181. doi:10.1097/CEJ.0b013e32833876c0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Blanc P, Gschwind B, Lefèvre M, Wald L (2011) The HelioClim project: surface solar irradiance data for climate applications. Remote Sens 3:343–361. doi:10.3390/rs3020343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Bellec S, Hémon D, Rudant J et al (2006) Spatial and space–time clustering of childhood acute leukaemia in France from 1990 to 2000: a nationwide study. Br J Cancer 94:763–770. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602980

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Faure C, Mollié A, Bellec S et al (2009) Geographical variations in the incidence of childhood acute leukaemia in France over the period 1990–2004. Eur J Cancer Prev 18:267–279. doi:10.1097/CEJ.0b013e32832bf43a

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Demoury C, Goujon-Bellec S, Guyot-Goubin A et al (2012) Spatial variations of childhood acute leukaemia in France, 1990–2006: global spatial heterogeneity and cluster detection at “living-zone” level. Eur J Cancer Prev 21:367–374. doi:10.1097/CEJ.0b013e32834e31d8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rey G, Jougla E, Fouillet A, Hémon D (2009) Ecological association between a deprivation index and mortality in France over the period 1997–2001: variations with spatial scale, degree of urbanicity, age, gender and cause of death. BMC Pub Health 9:33. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-9-33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Amigou A, Sermage-Faure C, Orsi L et al (2011) Road traffic and childhood leukemia: the ESCALE study (SFCE). Environ Health Perspect 119:566–572. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002429

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Ajrouche R, Rudant J, Orsi L et al (2014) Maternal reproductive history, fertility treatments and folic acid supplementation in the risk of childhood acute leukemia: the ESTELLE study. Cancer Causes Control 25:1283–1293. doi:10.1007/s10552-014-0429-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Goujon-Bellec S, Mollié A, Rudant J et al (2013) Time trends and seasonal variations in the diagnosis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in France. Cancer Epidemiol 37:255–261. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2013.01.001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Sermage-Faure C, Laurier D, Goujon-Bellec S et al (2012) Childhood leukemia around French nuclear power plants—the geocap study, 2002–2007. Int J Cancer 131:E769–E780. doi:10.1002/ijc.27425

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the ‘Institut de Veille Sanitaire’ (InVS), ‘Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail’ (ANSES; EST-2013/1/205), ‘Association pour la recherche sur le cancer’ (ARC), ‘Institut National du Cancer’ (INCa), which provided financial support to the ‘Plateforme de recherche sur les cancers de l’enfant,’ ‘Agence Nationale de la Recherche’ (ANR) and ‘Cancéropôle Ile-de-France.’ It is part of the ‘Investissement d’Avenir’ HOPE-EPI program supported by the ANR. The authors are particularly grateful to all the NRCH research assistants who collected the cases’ data and the pediatric oncology teams for their help in data collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM, UMR1153 Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center (CRESS), Epidemiology of Chilhood and Adolescent Cancers Team (EPICEA), Paris Descartes University, 94007, Villejuif, France

    Astrid Coste, Stéphanie Goujon, Fabienne Marquant, Laure Faure, Denis Hémon & Jacqueline Clavel

  2. French National Registry of Childhood Hematological Malignancies (NRCH), Villejuif, France

    Stéphanie Goujon, Laure Faure & Jacqueline Clavel

  3. Institute of Global Public Health at iPRI, International Prevention Research Institute, University of Strathclyde, Lyon, France

    Mathieu Boniol

  4. Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), INSERM UMR 1052 CNRS 52B6, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laënnec, 69373, Lyon Cedex 08, France

    Jean-François Doré

Authors
  1. Astrid Coste
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stéphanie Goujon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mathieu Boniol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fabienne Marquant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Laure Faure
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jean-François Doré
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Denis Hémon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jacqueline Clavel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Astrid Coste.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 59 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Coste, A., Goujon, S., Boniol, M. et al. Residential exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and incidence of childhood hematological malignancies in France. Cancer Causes Control 26, 1339–1349 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-015-0629-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-015-0629-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation