Germline Mutations FOR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CANCERS THE EFFECT OF PATERNAL AGE WAS FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANT

1: Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2007 May;7(3):200-7.Update on the management of familial central nervous system tumor syndromes.Hottinger AF, Khakoo Y.
Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. Khakooy@mskcc.org.

Hereditary central nervous tumor syndromes are a varied group of conditions that include neurofibromatosis type 1 and 2, tuberous sclerosis, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, and Cowden, Turcot, and Gorlin syndromes. The responsible genes have been identified in most of these disorders. These genes typically act as tumor suppressor genes, maintain normal cellular function and homeostasis, and regulate cell growth and differentiation. Familial central nervous system tumors are mostly inherited as autosomal dominant traits and involve germline mutations. Neoplastic development occurs when a somatic mutation inactivates the second allele. These patients also present unique challenges for their management. This review highlights the clinical manifestations, molecular genetics, pathophysiology, and current treatment options of these disorders with a focus on neuro-oncologic manifestations of the diseases.

PMID: 17488585 [PubMed - in process]



1: Int J Epidemiol. 2006 Dec;35(6):1495-503. Epub 2006 Sep 28. Links
Parental age and risk of childhood cancers: a population-based cohort study from Sweden.Yip BH, Pawitan Y, Czene K.
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.BACKGROUND: Frequent germ line cells mutations were previously demonstrated to be associated with aging. This suggests a higher incidence of childhood cancer among children of older parents. A population-based cohort study of parental ages and other prenatal risk factors for five main childhood cancers was performed with the use of a linkage between several national-based registries. METHODS: In total, about 4.3 million children with their parents, born between 1961 and 2000, were included in the study. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to obtain the incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Children <5 years of age and children 5-14 years of age were analysed independently. RESULTS: There was no significant result for children 5-14 years of age. For children <5 years of age, maternal age were associated with elevated risk of retinoblastoma (oldest age group's IRR = 2.39, 95%CI = 1.17-4.85) and leukaemia (oldest age group's IRR = 1.44, 95%CI = 1.01-2.05). Paternal age was significantly associated with leukaemia (oldest age group's IRR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.04-1.66). For central nervous system cancer, the effect of paternal age was found to be significant (oldest age group's IRR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.21-2.35) when maternal age was included in the analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that advanced parental age might be associated with an increased risk of early childhood cancers.