Biomaterial Database

N-nitroso compounds and human intracranial tumours. 1984

S Preston-Martin, and B E Henderson

Experimentalists have shown that various N-nitroso compounds are potent nervous system carcinogens, particularly when animals are exposed transplacentally. Information has been obtained concerning exposure to N-nitroso compounds and their precursors in three case-control studies of intracranial tumour patients in Los Angeles County, California. A study of women (185 pairs) found that level of consumption of nitrite-cured meats was related to meningioma development (p = 0.01). In a similar study of meningiomas in men (105 pairs), the association with cured meats was not clear. The most striking results were obtained in a study of young brain tumour patients (209 matched pairs). Increased risk was associated with maternal contact, during pregnancy, with N-nitrosamine-containing substances, such as burning incense (odds ratio, 3.3; p less than 0.01), sidestream cigarette smoke (odds ratio, 1.5; p = 0.03) and face make-up (odds ratio, 1.6; p = 0.02). Increased risk was also associated with maternal use of diuretics (odds ratio, 2.0; p = 0.03) and antihistamines (odds ratio, 3.4; p less than 0.01) and with the level of maternal consumption of cured meats (p less than 0.01). Diuretics and antihistamines contain nitrosatable amines and amides, and cured meats contain nitrites - chemicals which are precursors of N-nitroso compounds. Additional epidemiological studies of nervous system tumours in young people would appear to offer considerable promise for testing the hypothesis that N-nitroso compounds are etiologically related to human neurogenic neoplasms.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D009603	Nitroso Compounds	Organic compounds containing the nitroso (-N	Compounds, Nitroso
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D001932	Brain Neoplasms	Neoplasms of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are subdivided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are subdivided into benign and malignant forms. In general, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain.	Brain Cancer,Brain Metastases,Brain Tumors,Cancer of Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Tumors,Neoplasms, Intracranial,Benign Neoplasms, Brain,Brain Neoplasm, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Benign,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Primary Malignant,Brain Tumor, Primary,Brain Tumor, Recurrent,Cancer of the Brain,Intracranial Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasms, Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Brain,Neoplasms, Brain, Benign,Neoplasms, Brain, Malignant,Neoplasms, Brain, Primary,Primary Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Tumors,Benign Brain Neoplasm,Benign Brain Neoplasms,Benign Neoplasm, Brain,Brain Benign Neoplasm,Brain Benign Neoplasms,Brain Cancers,Brain Malignant Neoplasm,Brain Malignant Neoplasms,Brain Metastase,Brain Neoplasm,Brain Neoplasm, Benign,Brain Neoplasm, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Primary,Brain Tumor,Brain Tumors, Recurrent,Cancer, Brain,Intracranial Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Intracranial,Primary Brain Neoplasm,Primary Brain Tumor,Primary Brain Tumors,Recurrent Brain Tumor,Recurrent Brain Tumors,Tumor, Brain
D002140	California	State bounded on the east by Nevada and Arizona, on the south by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and on the north by Oregon.
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004781	Environmental Exposure	The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals.	Exposure, Environmental,Environmental Exposures,Exposures, Environmental