Exposure to nitrosatable drugs during pregnancy and childhood cancer: A matched case-control study in Denmark, 1996-2016

Plain Language Summary Nitrosatable drugs are a type of medicine that can be transformed to N-nitroso compounds which have been found to be associated with many types of cancer in adults. This transformation process mainly occurs in the human stomach. Maternal nitrosatable drug ingestion could be one of the major sources of N-nitroso compound exposures during pregnancy which can be translocated to the fetus through the placenta and could be a potential cause of childhood cancer. However, few studies have investigated an association between nitrosatable drug exposure during pregnancy and childhood cancer. Using Danish nationwide registry data, this matched case-control study investigated the association between maternal prescriptions of nitrosatable drugs received during pregnancy and childhood cancer. We found that nitrosatable drug exposure during pregnancy potentially increased the risk of central nervous system tumors and neuroblastoma in offspring. Therefore, future studies are needed to corroborate our observations and to address potential biological pathways between N-nitroso compound exposure and specific types of childhood cancer.

Automated summary

Maternal exposure to nitrosatable drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of childhood cancer, particularly central nervous system tumors and neuroblastoma.