Molecular Epidemiology of Childhood Leukemia (Aka The California Childhood Leukemia Study)

This study is a case-control study investigating the causes of childhood leukemia in Northern California. The overall purpose of this epidemiologic study is to find specific genetic or environmental factors that may increase the risk of leukemia in children. The study is being conducted by Patricia Buffler, PhD at the School of Public Health - University of California Berkeley in collaboration with the California Department of Health Services and 16 hospitals located throughout the state of California. The study began in 1995 and will continue to 2014.

Sex

All

Minimum age

1 Day

Maximum age

14 Years

Cases must be children ages 0-14 newly diagnosed with leukemia (any type) at one of participating hospitals. They must live in the state of California at diagnosis, never have been diagnosed with a prior cancer and have a parent or guardian that speaks English or Spanish.

Controls are matched on the case child's DOB, gender, mother's race, parent's Hispanicity. In order to be eligible, they must have no history of cancer, have a parent or guardian that speaks English or Spanish and they must live in the state of California.

• RESULTXiao Z, Greaves MF, Buffler P, Smith MT, Segal MR, Dicks BM, Wiencke JK, Wiemels JL. Molecular characterization of genomic AML1-ETO fusions in childhood leukemia. Leukemia. 2001 Dec;15(12):1906-13. doi: 10.1038/sj.leu.2402318. PMID 11753612
• RESULTZheng S, Ma X, Buffler PA, Smith MT, Wiencke JK. Whole genome amplification increases the efficiency and validity of buccal cell genotyping in pediatric populations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2001 Jun;10(6):697-700. PMID 11401921
• RESULTMa X, Buffler PA, Gunier RB, Dahl G, Smith MT, Reinier K, Reynolds P. Critical windows of exposure to household pesticides and risk of childhood leukemia. Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Sep;110(9):955-60. doi: 10.1289/ehp.02110955. PMID 12204832
• RESULTMa X, Buffler PA, Selvin S, Matthay KK, Wiencke JK, Wiemels JL, Reynolds P. Daycare attendance and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Br J Cancer. 2002 May 6;86(9):1419-24. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6600274. PMID 11986774
• RESULTReynolds P, Von Behren J, Gunier RB, Goldberg DE, Hertz A, Harnly ME. Childhood cancer and agricultural pesticide use: an ecologic study in California. Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Mar;110(3):319-24. doi: 10.1289/ehp.02110319. PMID 11882484
• RESULTReynolds P, Von Behren J, Gunier RB, Goldberg DE, Hertz A, Smith D. Traffic patterns and childhood cancer incidence rates in California, United States. Cancer Causes Control. 2002 Sep;13(7):665-73. doi: 10.1023/a:1019579430978. PMID 12296514
• RESULTWiemels JL, Leonard BC, Wang Y, Segal MR, Hunger SP, Smith MT, Crouse V, Ma X, Buffler PA, Pine SR. Site-specific translocation and evidence of postnatal origin of the t(1;19) E2A-PBX1 fusion in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 12;99(23):15101-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.222481199. Epub 2002 Nov 1.