Wilms' Tumour and Parental Age
Author Information
Author(s): J.M. Olson, N.E. Breslow, J.B. Beckwith
Primary Institution: University of Washington; Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Do older parents have a higher risk of having children with Wilms' tumour?
Conclusion
The study found that older parental age is associated with an increased incidence of sporadic Wilms' tumour.
Supporting Evidence
- An increasing incidence of sporadic Wilms' tumour was found with increasing paternal age.
- A relative risk of 2.1 was observed for children of fathers over 55 compared to those under 20.
- A similar effect for maternal age showed a relative risk of 1.4 for mothers over 40.
Takeaway
If your parents are older when you are born, you might have a higher chance of getting a type of kidney cancer called Wilms' tumour.
Methodology
The study compared parental age distributions of Wilms' tumour patients to the general population and analyzed subgroups based on various factors.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to unascertained cases and geographical differences.
Limitations
The study may be biased due to incomplete ascertainment of cases and geographical differences in parental age distributions.
Participant Demographics
Patients were white, born in the US, and had no confirmed family history of Wilms' tumour.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.008
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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