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Using population-based linked health data, we investigated whether the risk of certain childhood non-CNS solid tumours (n=186) was associated with intra-uterine growth. The risk of retinoblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, but not other tumour types, was positively associated with increased growth, suggesting a possible role of fetal growth factors. Larger studies are needed.

The authors examined the relation between birth weight, intrauterine growth, and risk of childhood leukemia using population-based linked health data from Western Australia. A cohort of 576,593 infants born in 1980-2004 were followed from birth to diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (n = 243) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (n = 36) before their 15th birthday, death, or the end of follow-up (December 31, 2005). Data were analyzed using Cox regression. Risk of ALL was positively associated with the proportion of optimal birth weight--a measure of the appropriateness of fetal growth--particularly among children younger than 5 years; the hazard ratio for a 1-standard-deviation increase in proportion of optimal birth weight was 1.25 (95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.47). Among children younger than 5 years not classified as having high birth weight (defined as >3,500 g, >3,800 g, and >4,000 g), a 1-unit increase in proportion of optimal birth weight was associated with an approximately 40% increase in ALL risk. This suggests that accelerated growth, rather than high birth weight per se, is involved in the etiology of ALL. These findings are consistent with a role for insulin-like growth factor I in the causal pathway. Findings for AML were inconclusive, probably because of small numbers.

Objectives: To investigate the trends in incidence and mortality and estimate survival for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Western Australia. CASE SELECTION AND METHODS: There were 1,336 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1982-98. Age-standardised rates were calculated by the direct method. Age-period and age-cohort models were analysed by Poisson regression. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival and Cox proportional hazards regression evaluated the relative risk of dying., Results: Trends in age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates showed little changed over the three time periods of diagnosis. A significant birth cohort effect showed a peak in the risk in the 1924 (mid-year) cohort followed by a general decrease in both incidence and mortality risk. Survival at five years was 34% (95% CI 31.3-36.5) overall, but was only 27% (95% CI 17.4-36.7) among women with stage III and IV disease. Aboriginal women showed a risk of dying twice that of non-Aboriginal women., Conclusions: The birth cohort analysis of ovarian cancer proved better at explaining disease trends than was time period of diagnosis. Survival continues to be poor, but Aboriginal women and those with serous and unspecified adenocarcinoma tumours fair much worse., Implications: As the leading cause of death from a gynaecological malignancy, ovarian cancer is of public health importance. Historical trends in birth rates and the use of oral contraceptives help to explain at least some of the observed birth cohort trends in this study. In the long term, an effective diagnostic technique needs to be developed or this disease will continue to be diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment options for cure are limited.

Background and Purpose: Octogenarians were not included in the major trials of carotid endarterectomy. Concern has been expressed about the role of carotid endarterectomy in this age group. This concern is based in part on uncertainty about the long-term survival of elderly patients after carotid endarterectomy. The aim of the present study was to assess relative survival in those patients >or=80 years of age undergoing carotid endarterectomy., Methods: A population-based record linkage study of all patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy from 1988 to 1998 in Western Australia was undertaken. Long-term relative survival after carotid endarterectomy was assessed against age- and sex-matched controls., Results: During the period 1988 to 1998, 1796 (1306 male, 490 female) cases were identified. There were 151 patients >or=80 years of age. The cumulative survival at 5 years was 64.9% for those >or=80 years of age compared with 80.1% for those <80 years of age. Relative survival at 5 years was 118% (95% CI, 102 to 134) for those >or=80 years of age compared with 94.7% (95% CI, 92 to 97) for those <80 years of age., Conclusions: Long-term relative survival after carotid endarterectomy in patients >or=80 years of age was better than that of an age-matched population. The likelihood of living long enough to gain benefit from a carotid endarterectomy is not jeopardized by being too old.