Exposure to nitrate from drinking water and the risk of childhood cancer in Denmark

Leslie T. Stayner; Jorg Schullehner; Birgitte Dige Semark; Anja Søndergaard Jensen; Betina B. Trabjerg; Marie Pedersen; Jorn Olsen; Birgitte Hansen; Mary H. Ward; Rena R. Jones; Vanessa R. Coffman; Carsten B. Pedersen; Torben Sigsgaard

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613

Exposure to nitrate from drinking water and the risk of childhood cancer in Denmark

Leslie T. Stayner, Jorg Schullehner, Birgitte Dige Semark, Anja Søndergaard Jensen, Betina B. Trabjerg, Marie Pedersen, Jorn Olsen, Birgitte Hansen, Mary H. Ward, Rena R. Jones, Vanessa R. Coffman, Carsten B. Pedersen, Torben Sigsgaard^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: There is limited evidence that nitrate, a common contaminant in drinking water, increases the risk of childhood cancers. Our objective was to examine this association in Denmark. Methods: We conducted a nationwide case-control study based on all singletons liveborn to Danish-born parents from 1991 to 2015 (N = 1,219,140) that included 596 leukemias, 180 lymphomas, and 310 central nervous system cancers (CNC) who were 25 mg/L nitrate) was observed for preconception (OR = 1.82, 95%CI:1.09 to 3.04), prenatal (OR = 1.65, 95%CI:0.97 to 2.81), and postnatal exposure (OR = 1.48, 95% CI:0.82 to 2.68) in fully adjusted models. There was also some evidence of an exposure-response in models of continuous nitrate exposure and CNC. Conclusions: Our findings provide some evidence that exposure to nitrate from drinking water may increase the risk of childhood CNC cancer, but not leukemia or lymphoma.

Original language	English
Article number	106613
Journal	Environment International
Volume	155
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0160-4120
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613
Publication status	Published - 2021

Keywords

Nitrate
Drinking water
Childhood leukemia
Lymphoma and central nervous system cancer
N-NITROSO COMPOUNDS
BRAIN-TUMORS
GROUNDWATER

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10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Exposure to nitrate from drinking water and the risk of childhood cancer in DenmarkFinal published version, 489 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Stayner, L. T., Schullehner, J., Semark, B. D., Jensen, A. S., Trabjerg, B. B., Pedersen, M., Olsen, J., Hansen, B., Ward, M. H., Jones, R. R., Coffman, V. R., Pedersen, C. B., & Sigsgaard, T. (2021). Exposure to nitrate from drinking water and the risk of childhood cancer in Denmark. Environment International, 155, Article 106613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613

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title = "Exposure to nitrate from drinking water and the risk of childhood cancer in Denmark",

abstract = "Background: There is limited evidence that nitrate, a common contaminant in drinking water, increases the risk of childhood cancers. Our objective was to examine this association in Denmark. Methods: We conducted a nationwide case-control study based on all singletons liveborn to Danish-born parents from 1991 to 2015 (N = 1,219,140) that included 596 leukemias, 180 lymphomas, and 310 central nervous system cancers (CNC) who were 25 mg/L nitrate) was observed for preconception (OR = 1.82, 95%CI:1.09 to 3.04), prenatal (OR = 1.65, 95%CI:0.97 to 2.81), and postnatal exposure (OR = 1.48, 95% CI:0.82 to 2.68) in fully adjusted models. There was also some evidence of an exposure-response in models of continuous nitrate exposure and CNC. Conclusions: Our findings provide some evidence that exposure to nitrate from drinking water may increase the risk of childhood CNC cancer, but not leukemia or lymphoma.",

keywords = "Nitrate, Drinking water, Childhood leukemia, Lymphoma and central nervous system cancer, N-NITROSO COMPOUNDS, BRAIN-TUMORS, GROUNDWATER",

author = "Stayner, {Leslie T.} and Jorg Schullehner and Semark, {Birgitte Dige} and Jensen, {Anja S{\o}ndergaard} and Trabjerg, {Betina B.} and Marie Pedersen and Jorn Olsen and Birgitte Hansen and Ward, {Mary H.} and Jones, {Rena R.} and Coffman, {Vanessa R.} and Pedersen, {Carsten B.} and Torben Sigsgaard",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613",

language = "English",

volume = "155",

journal = "Environment International",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Exposure to nitrate from drinking water and the risk of childhood cancer in Denmark

AU - Stayner, Leslie T.

AU - Schullehner, Jorg

AU - Semark, Birgitte Dige

AU - Jensen, Anja Søndergaard

AU - Trabjerg, Betina B.

AU - Pedersen, Marie

AU - Olsen, Jorn

AU - Hansen, Birgitte

AU - Ward, Mary H.

AU - Jones, Rena R.

AU - Coffman, Vanessa R.

AU - Pedersen, Carsten B.

AU - Sigsgaard, Torben

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: There is limited evidence that nitrate, a common contaminant in drinking water, increases the risk of childhood cancers. Our objective was to examine this association in Denmark. Methods: We conducted a nationwide case-control study based on all singletons liveborn to Danish-born parents from 1991 to 2015 (N = 1,219,140) that included 596 leukemias, 180 lymphomas, and 310 central nervous system cancers (CNC) who were 25 mg/L nitrate) was observed for preconception (OR = 1.82, 95%CI:1.09 to 3.04), prenatal (OR = 1.65, 95%CI:0.97 to 2.81), and postnatal exposure (OR = 1.48, 95% CI:0.82 to 2.68) in fully adjusted models. There was also some evidence of an exposure-response in models of continuous nitrate exposure and CNC. Conclusions: Our findings provide some evidence that exposure to nitrate from drinking water may increase the risk of childhood CNC cancer, but not leukemia or lymphoma.

AB - Background: There is limited evidence that nitrate, a common contaminant in drinking water, increases the risk of childhood cancers. Our objective was to examine this association in Denmark. Methods: We conducted a nationwide case-control study based on all singletons liveborn to Danish-born parents from 1991 to 2015 (N = 1,219,140) that included 596 leukemias, 180 lymphomas, and 310 central nervous system cancers (CNC) who were 25 mg/L nitrate) was observed for preconception (OR = 1.82, 95%CI:1.09 to 3.04), prenatal (OR = 1.65, 95%CI:0.97 to 2.81), and postnatal exposure (OR = 1.48, 95% CI:0.82 to 2.68) in fully adjusted models. There was also some evidence of an exposure-response in models of continuous nitrate exposure and CNC. Conclusions: Our findings provide some evidence that exposure to nitrate from drinking water may increase the risk of childhood CNC cancer, but not leukemia or lymphoma.

KW - Nitrate

KW - Drinking water

KW - Childhood leukemia

KW - Lymphoma and central nervous system cancer

KW - N-NITROSO COMPOUNDS

KW - BRAIN-TUMORS

KW - GROUNDWATER

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106613

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33965769

SN - 0160-4120

VL - 155

JO - Environment International

JF - Environment International

M1 - 106613

ER -