Parental Age-Related Risk of Retinoblastoma in Iranian Children

Abstract

Background: Retinoblastoma is a rare malignant intraocular neoplasm. About 90% of cases feature a germlinemutation in the RB1 gene and these will develop retinoblastoma during their early childhood. An associationbetween mutations in germline cells and aging has been demonstrated. This suggests a higher incidence ofchildhood cancer including retinoblastoma among children of older parents. Materials and
Methods: In thepresent study we aimed to determine the association of paternal and maternal age with an increased risk ofretinoblastoma in a case-control study in Iranian population. The study was carried out on 240 persons who wereborn during 1984-2012 in Mahak and Mofid hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The statistical analysis included studyingthe mean age of parents and in order to know whether parental age of patients is different from parental age ofcontrol group, (t-test) compare averages test is used perfectly. By binary logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs)and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.
Results: The results of statistical analysis including thestudy of mean parental age by the use of (t-test) compare averages test showed a significant difference betweenparental ages of patients and controls. Logistic regression showed that coefficients were significant for maternalbut not paternal age.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that advanced maternal age can increase the risk ofretinoblastoma in offspring, but the paternal age has no significant effect.

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