Birth characteristics and adult cancer incidence: Swedish cohort of over 11,000 men and women

Abstract

Associations between larger size at birth and increased rates of adult cancer have been proposed but few empirical studies have examined this hypothesis. We investigated overall and site-specific cancer incidence in relation to birth characteristics in a Swedish population-based cohort of 11,166 singletons born in 1915-1929 for whom we have detailed obstetric data and who were alive in 1960. A total of 2,685 first primary cancers were registered during follow-up from 1960 to 2001. A standard deviation (SD) increase in birth weight for gestational age (GA) was associated with (sexadjusted) increases of 13% (95% CI = 0.03-0.23) in the rates of digestive cancers and of 17% (95% CI = 0.01-0.35) in the rates of lymphatic cancers. Women who had higher birth weights also had increased rates of breast cancer under age 50 years (by 39% per SD increase; 95% CI = 0.09-0.79), but reduced rates (by 24%; 95% CI = 0.07-0.38) of endometrial (corpus uteri) cancer at all ages. There was no evidence of associations with other cancer sites. For overall cancer incidence, men had an 8% increased risk at all ages per SD increase in birth weight for GA while women only had an increased risk under age 50 years (mainly driven by the association with breast cancer). These findings provide evidence of a modest association of birth size and adult cancer risk, resulting from positive associations with a few cancer sites and a possible inverse association with endometrial cancer. ' 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Resistance exercise training during pregnancy and newborn's birth size: a randomised controlled trial

“…3 High birth weight is also associated with increased risk during adulthood of type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer (for example, endometrial, breast, or prostate). 1,2,4,5 The effect of exercise training during the course of pregnancy on the newborn's birth weight is unclear. Two meta-analyses reported that exercise during pregnancy normally does not affect birth weight, 6,7 but a more recent Cochrane meta-analysis concluded that the available data are insufficient to infer important risks or benefits for the mother or infant.…”

Birth weight in relation to endometrial and breast cancer risks in Swedish women

“…Earlier studies have suggested that birth weights above 4000 g increase breast cancer risk (Sanderson et al, 1996;McCormack et al, 2003McCormack et al, , 2005Mellemkjaer et al, 2003;Ahlgren et al, 2004;dos Santos Silva et al, 2004), while increased (Innes et al, 2000;Mellemkjaer et al, 2003), or reduced risks have been reported for low birth weight. Results of this study indicate that among women born in the 1940 -1960s, a low birth weight is associated with reduced breast cancer risk.…”

“…Only one study has investigated whether there is an association between birth weight and endometrial cancer (McCormack et al, 2005). During a follow-up of 41 years, women with higher birth weights had a reduced risk of endometrial cancer (McCormack et al, 2005).…”

“…Only one study has investigated whether there is an association between birth weight and endometrial cancer (McCormack et al, 2005). During a follow-up of 41 years, women with higher birth weights had a reduced risk of endometrial cancer (McCormack et al, 2005). Although current evidence strongly suggests that high birth weight increases premenopausal breast cancer risk , several of these studies investigated women born in the 1910 -1940s (Andersson et al, 2001;Titus-Ernstoff et al, 2002;dos Santos Silva et al, 2004;McCormack et al, 2005).…”

“…During a follow-up of 41 years, women with higher birth weights had a reduced risk of endometrial cancer (McCormack et al, 2005). Although current evidence strongly suggests that high birth weight increases premenopausal breast cancer risk , several of these studies investigated women born in the 1910 -1940s (Andersson et al, 2001;Titus-Ernstoff et al, 2002;dos Santos Silva et al, 2004;McCormack et al, 2005). These women were born and grew up during or just after World War I and II, when their nutritional status in utero and during childhood was probably different from that among women born later.…”