Parental cancer and genetic predisposition in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a case-control study

Our plain-English summary of Parental cancer and genetic predisposition in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a case-control study, by M. Huncharek, K. Kelsey, J. Muscat, et al (Cancer Letters, 1996).

The study

• Authors: M. Huncharek, K. Kelsey, J. Muscat, D. Christiani
• Journal: Cancer Letters
• Published: 1996;102(1-2):205-8
• Cited by: 23 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Familial clustering of pleural mesothelioma (PM) has been previously reported suggesting that genetic factors (predisposition) may be involved in PM. We studied parental cancer history in a cohort of 39 cases of PM and 259 age matched controls to assess the possible influence of family history on PM risk. Cases consisted of 39 patients with PM treated at our institution between 1978 and 1993. An age frequency matched control group (by 5-year age groups) consisted of 259 subjects who were spouses or friends of patients undergoing resection of primary lung cancer. Data were obtained by interview of controls and interview of the patient or next of kin (usually spouse) for cases. The following data were obtained using a standard questionnaire and medical record review; age, sex, date of diagnosis, history of asbestos exposure, smoking history, method of diagnosis, histologic subtype, type of treatment, parental cancer history and tumor type. Cases and control frequency of parental cancer and site specific tumor frequency were compared using chi-square analysis. Twenty-eight (71%) cases reported a parental history of cancer versus 114 (44%) in the control group (P<0.01). Gastrointestinal malignancies were the predominant tumor type among parents of cases, i.e. 11 cases (40%) versus 25% of controls (P<0.01). No other tumor site showed an increased frequency among cases. These data suggest a possible role for family history in the development of PM. Genetic predisposition may be important in the etiology of this tumor.

In plain English

This case-control study at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, asked whether people with pleural mesothelioma more often had a parent with cancer. The authors compared 39 MGH patients with histologically confirmed pleural mesothelioma, treated from 1978 onward, with 259 age-matched controls. The controls were spouses or friends of lung cancer patients having surgery there. Most patients had died, so relatives answered for them, while controls were interviewed directly. Asbestos exposure was reported for 82% of cases and 15% of controls. A parental history of cancer was reported for 71% of cases and 44% of controls (P less than 0.01). Gastrointestinal cancers were the most common parental cancer among cases. For cases, the authors reported 11 (40%), which the text calls the share of tumors among their parents, versus 25% for controls' parents (P less than 0.01). However, the table prints 11/39 and 29/259, which do not equal those percentages, so the article is internally inconsistent. No other cancer site predominated. The authors concluded that family history may play a role and that genetic predisposition may be important. They noted possible recall bias but judged serious bias unlikely.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Hospital-based case-control study comparing parental cancer history in pleural mesothelioma cases and controls, analyzed with chi-square tests
• Who was studied: 39 cases of histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma treated at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, from January 1978 (to September 1994 per the methods). There were 259 age frequency matched controls, who were spouses or friends of lung cancer patients presenting for surgery at MGH between November 1992 and May 1995. 92% of cases were deceased, and their data came from next of kin by telephone (spouse 79%, son or daughter 13%). 87% of cases and 55% of controls were male.
• Exposure: The main factor studied was parental cancer history and cancer type. Asbestos exposure history was also recorded. The authors state that cases were largely employed in asbestos-related industries such as shipyards. No fiber types or doses are given.
• Main results:
  • A parent with some form of cancer was reported by 71% of cases versus 44% of controls (P less than 0.01; chi-square 10.5). The article's abstract gives the cases as 28 of 39, while the table prints 23/39. Controls were 114 of 259.
  • Gastrointestinal cancers were the predominant parental tumor type among cases, at 11 cases (40%), versus 25% for controls (P less than 0.01; chi-square 8.4). The results text describes the 40% as the share of tumors among parents of cases. Table 2 prints these figures as 11/39 (40) and 29/259 (25), but those fractions do not equal the percentages. The article is therefore internally inconsistent about what the percentages are shares of.
  • Respiratory tract cancers (lung and larynx) were the next most common parental cancer among cases: 5 (12.0%) among parents of cases versus 8% among parents of controls.
  • Breast cancer was reported in 16 mothers of controls and 4 mothers of cases. No other tumor site predominated among cases or controls.
  • Asbestos exposure was noted in 82% of mesothelioma cases versus 15% of controls.
  • Smoking histories were similar: 74% of cases and 70% of controls had smoked.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the data suggest a possible role for family history in the development of pleural mesothelioma, and that genetic predisposition may be important in its cause.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • Case information came from next of kin, while control information came from direct interview. The authors said recall bias could potentially influence the analysis. Citing prior work on next-of-kin recall, they judged the potential for serious bias minimal.
  • Cases and controls were not matched by date of diagnosis. The authors did not believe this influenced the results.
  • Cases and controls differed clearly in asbestos exposure history. The authors did not believe this affected their parents' cancer experience.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Pleural Mesothelioma, Case-Control Study, Lung Cancer, Asbestos Exposure, Histological Subtype, Etiology.

Related studies

• Parental occupational exposure and risk of childhood central nervous system tumors: a pooled analysis of case-control studies from Germany, France, and the UK — C. Huoi, A. Olsson, et al. (2014)
• Genetic predisposition to fiber carcinogenesis causes a mesothelioma epidemic in Turkey — A.U. Dogan, Y.I. Baris, et al. (2006)
• Genetic predisposition for malignant mesothelioma: A concise review — M. Betti, A. Aspesi, et al. (2019)
• Are oestrogens and genetic predisposition etiologic factors in the development of clear cell carcinoma of the peritoneum? — R. Wuntakal, A. Lawrence (2013)
• A task-based assessment of parental occupational exposure to organic solvents and other compounds and the risk of childhood leukemia in California — C. Metayer, G. Scelo, et al. (2016)
• Lung cancer risk in relation to the CYP2E1 Rsa I genetic polymorphism among African-Americans and Caucasians in Los Angeles County — S.J. London, A.K. Daly, et al. (1996)

Browse more research in Cancer Letters, or return to medical research.