含葉酸食品或許可減少最常見的腎細胞癌癥類型和一種兒童腦腫瘤癌癥類型的發(fā)病率,，由美國明尼蘇達大學博士后研究員Kimberly J. Johnson博士帶領完成的一項研究證實了這一觀點。
自1998年以來,，FDA已責成推廣含葉酸食物,，因為早先的研究已經表明產前孕婦消耗葉酸的話能顯著降低嬰兒神經管缺陷的發(fā)病率,。
Johnson表示：這項研究是迄今為止規(guī)模最大的相關研究，研究證實了葉酸也可以降低美國兒童人群某些癌癥類型的發(fā)病率,。相關研究論文發(fā)表在本期的Pediatrics雜志上,。
Johnson說：“我們發(fā)現在1986年至1997年之間，腎母細胞瘤發(fā)病率增加了,，但隨后其發(fā)病率又下降了,，這是一個非常有趣的發(fā)現,，當我們發(fā)現伴隨腎母細胞瘤發(fā)病率趨勢向下變化的同時，我們發(fā)現剛好葉酸處于營養(yǎng)強化時期,。
從1986年到1993年始神經外胚層瘤發(fā)病速率增長了,，但此后又下降了。這種趨勢的變化與葉酸的營養(yǎng)強化不完全重合,，但卻很好地與1992年育齡婦女每天消耗400微克的葉酸相吻合了,。
研究作者采用1986年至2008年期間美國國家癌病署的“監(jiān)測、流行病學與最終結果”計劃的數據,，這些數據來自1973年以來美國各個區(qū)域的癌癥病例信息,。這項研究涉及診斷出患有癌癥的剛出生到4歲年齡不等的8829名兒童。
Johnson說：多個數據的分析發(fā)現腎母細胞瘤和兒童原始神經外胚層瘤（PNETs）的患病率呈跌幅趨勢,。
更重要的是,，腎母細胞瘤率的降低在加拿大安大略省同樣也被發(fā)現,，其相關研究結果在2011年已經發(fā)表出版了。
研究人員表示需要更多的研究來確認這些結果,，并排除任何其他可能的干擾因素,。
美國明尼蘇達大學兒科系兒科流行病學和臨床研究部主任Julie A. Ross博士是這項研究的主要領導人，也是該論文的共同作者,。（生物谷：Bioon.com）
doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3418
PMC:
PMID:
Childhood Cancer Incidence Trends in Association With US Folic Acid Fortification (1986–2008)
Amy M. Linabery, MS, PhDa, Kimberly J. Johnson, MPH, PhDb, and Julie A. Ross, PhDa,c
OBJECTIVE: Epidemiologic evidence indicates that prenatal vitamin supplementation reduces risk for some childhood cancers; however, a systematic evaluation of population-based childhood cancer incidence trends after fortification of enriched grain products with folic acid in the United States in 1996–1998 has not been previously reported. Here we describe temporal trends in childhood cancer incidence in association with US folic acid fortification.
METHODS: Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program data (1986–2008), we calculated incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals to compare pre- and postfortification cancer incidence rates in children aged 0 to 4 years. Incidence trends were also evaluated by using joinpoint and loess regression models.
RESULTS: From 1986 through 2008, 8829 children aged 0 to 4 years were diagnosed with malignancies, including 3790 and 3299 in utero during the pre- and postfortification periods, respectively. Pre- and postfortification incidence rates were similar for all cancers combined and for most specific cancer types. Rates of Wilms tumor (WT), primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs), and ependymomas were significantly lower postfortification. Joinpoint regression models detected increasing WT incidence from 1986 through 1997 followed by a sizable decline from 1997 through 2008, and increasing PNET incidence from 1986 through 1993 followed by a sharp decrease from 1993 through 2008. Loess curves indicated similar patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: These results provide support for a decrease in WT and possibly PNET incidence, but not other childhood cancers, after US folic acid fortification.
