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JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1999 91(11):973; doi:10.1093/jnci/91.11.973a
© 1999 by Oxford University Press
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Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 91, No. 11, 973A, June 2, 1999
© 1999 Oxford University Press

CORRESPONDENCE

Re: Trends in Reported Incidence of Primary Malignant Brain Tumors in Children in the United States

Arthur Varner

Correspondence to:Arthur E. Varner, M.D., Allergy Diagnostic, 23250 Mercantile Rd., Beachwood, OH 44122 (e-mail: Wiscart{at}aol.com

In the report by Smith et al. (1), the authors' conclusion is that the increasing incidence of brain tumors in children is best explained by a "jump model" with the optimum point of change being around 1985, the time of rapidly increasing availability of magnetic resonance imaging. The authors discount environmental factors, since the change seemed to occur rapidly. However, a rapid change in the environment of children did occur at this time. The switch to use of acetaminophen in children, as opposed to aspirin due to concerns with Reye's syndrome, led to the rapid decline in use of pediatric aspirin in the early 1980s (2). The anti-inflammatory effect of aspirin, as opposed to acetaminophen, may have been an unrecognized protective factor in the development of brain tumors, as has been demonstrated for other cancers (3). Did the authors consider this change in the environment of children in the United States before reaching their conclusion?

REFERENCES

1 Smith MA, Freidlin B, Ries LA, Simon R. Trends in reported incidence of primary malignant brain tumors in children in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst 1998;90:1269-77.[Abstract/Free Full Text]cancerlit;98400459

2 Arrowsmith JB, Kennedy DL, Kuritsky JN, Faich GA. National patterns of aspirin use and Reye's syndrome reporting, United States, 1980 to 1985. Pediatrics 1987;79:858-63.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

3 Rosenberg L, Louik C, Shapiro S. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and reduced risk of large bowel carcinoma. Cancer 1998;82:2326-33.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]cancerlit;98297447


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This Article
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