Risk factors for pediatric tumors of the central nervous system: results from a German population-based case-control study.

Background: From 1993 to 1997 we conducted two population-based case-control studies on childhood cancer and a variety of potential risk factors in Germany. One case group involved children under the age of 15 years having a tumor of the central nervous system (CNS).

Procedure: For both studies, one conducted in the northwestern area of Germany, the other covering the whole of West Germany, incident cases were identified from the nationwide German Childhood Cancer Registry, and controls were randomly selected from complete population registration files.

Risk factors for neuroblastoma at different stages of disease. Results from a population-based case-control study in Germany.

Neuroblastoma is one of the childhood cancers included in two recent population-based case-control studies in West Germany. Altogether, 183 children under the age of 8 with neuroblastoma diagnosed in 1988-1994 and 1785 control children sampled from population registration files participated. Information on potential risk factors was obtained from the children's parents by a self-administered questionnaire and subsequent telephone interview.

High-birth weight and other risk factors for Wilms tumour: results of a population-based case-control study.

Unlabelled: Wilms tumour, or nephroblastoma, is one of the childhood cancers included in two recent population-based case-control studies in West Germany. Altogether, 177 children under the age of 10 years with Wilms tumour diagnosed between 1988 and 1994 and 2006 control children sampled from population registration files participated. Information on potential risk factors was obtained from the parents using a questionnaire and by subsequent telephone interview.

Leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in childhood and exposure to pesticides: results of a register-based case-control study in Germany.

Previous studies have suggested an association between exposure to pesticides and different types of childhood cancer. This paper presents results from a population-based case-control interview study of parents of children less than 15 years of age, which was conducted in the states of West Germany from 1993 to 1997. Cases were 1,184 children with leukemia, 234 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 940 with a solid tumor; 2,588 controls were also included.

Prevention of childhood leukemia by BCG vaccination in newborns? A population-based case-control study in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Data from a case-control study in Lower Saxony, Germany, were used to assess whether the risk for childhood cancer may be reduced by bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination in the neonatal period. There were 420 newly diagnosed childhood cancer cases from the German cancer registry and 613 controls eligible for this study. A mailed questionnaire was completed during a telephone interview with parents.