Maternal factors of testicular cancer: a case-control study in Japan
Mori, M.; Davies, T.W.; Miyake, H.; Masuoka, H.; Kumamoto, Y.; Tsukamoto, T.
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 20(1): 72-77
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0368-2811 PMID: 2319701 Document Number: 575747
Researchers compared data provided by mothers of 37 testicular cancer patients 46 years old (1986) at 9 hospitals on the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan with those from 37 mothers of matched controls (1987) to examine the significance of maternal or prenatal factors associated with testicular cancer in Japan. The univariate analysis did not indicate any statistically significant differences in the variables. Yet when data were controlled for age at indexed birth, duration of breast-feeding the indexed child, birth order, and experience of an induced abortion, the researchers found that mothers of testicular cancer patients were more likely to have fewer live births than the mothers of the controls (relative risk=0.43; p=.025). No other significant differences existed. The researchers suggested several possible explanations and proposed that a common third factor may have played a role. For example, studies in Europe showed that the significant factor may be higher social class, since higher social class mothers have fewer live births, and testicular cancer is more prevalent in higher social class men. This also may be due to a different diet or sedentary life style in these men. The hormonal state of an infertile mother may be related to a higher incidence of testicular cancer in her son. Two possible bias sources in this study included a low incidence of testicular cancer in Japan which yielded a small sample size and a low response rate (60% for case mothers and 70% for control mothers). The researchers concluded that additional research is needed to clarify the association between testicular cancer and maternal subfertility.