Associations between vaccination and childhood cancers in Texas regions

J Pediatr. 2011 Jun;158(6):996-1002. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2010.11.054. Epub 2011 Jan 12.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether children born in Texas regions with higher vaccination coverage had reduced risk of childhood cancer.

Study design: The Texas Cancer Registry identified 2800 cases diagnosed from 1995 to 2006 who were (1) born in Texas and (2) diagnosed at ages 2 to 17 years. The state birth certificate data were used to identify 11 200 age- and sex-matched control subjects. A multilevel mixed-effects regression model compared vaccination rates among cases and control subjects at the public health region and county level.

Results: Children born in counties with higher hepatitis B vaccine coverage had lower odds of all cancers combined (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.98) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) specifically (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46 to 0.88). A decreased odds for ALL also was associated at the county level with higher rates of the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.92) and 4-3-1-3-3 vaccination series (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.87). Children born in public health regions with higher coverage levels of the Haemophilus influenzae type b-conjugate vaccine had lower odds of ALL (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.82).

Conclusions: Some common childhood vaccines appear to be protective against ALL at the population level.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Haemophilus Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Hepatitis B Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Medical Oncology / methods*
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pediatrics / methods*
  • Poliovirus Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / prevention & control
  • Regression Analysis
  • Texas
  • Vaccines / adverse effects

Substances

  • Haemophilus Vaccines
  • Hepatitis B Vaccines
  • Poliovirus Vaccines
  • Vaccines