Increased Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) by Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to High Voltage Power Lines : A Case Control Study in Isfahan, Iran

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most common hematologic malignancies,accounting for one fourth of all childhood cancer cases. Exposure to environmental factors around the time ofconception or pregnancy can increase the risk of ALL in the offspring.This study aimed to evaluted the role ofprenatal and postnatal exposure to high voltage power lines on the incidence of childhood ALL.This cross-sectionalcase control study was carried out on 22 cases and 100 controls who were born and lived in low socioeconomicfamilies in Isfahan and hospitalized for therapeutic purposes in different hospitals from 2013-2014.With regardto the underlying risk factors, familial history and parental factors were noted but in this age, socioeonomic andzonal matched case control study, prenatal and childhood exposure to high voltage power lines was consideredas the most important environmental risk factors of ALL (p=0.006, OR=3.651, CI 95%, 1.692-7.878). As thepopulation was of low socioeconomic background, use of mobiles, computers and microwave was negligible.Moreover prenatal and postnatal exposure to indoor electrically charged objects was not determined to be asignificant environmental factor. Thus, pre and post natal exposure to high voltage power lines and living inpollutant regions as well as familial influence could be described as risk factors of ALL for the first time in alow socioeconomic status Iranian population