ESPE Abstracts

Background: Recent studies had been demonstrated that raised height could be related with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In addition, increased osteo–sarcorma had been indicated in taller individuals and those with earlier pubertal growth spurts. however, some investigators obtained no significant relation between elevated height and childhood malignancy.

Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to investigate whether there is any correlation between height and pediatrics’ malignancy or not.

Method: This is a prospective study which included children and adolescents aged 14 years and less with newly diagnosed malignancies who were admitted to pediatric oncology ward in 17 Shahrivar Children Hospital during October 2009–October 2013 in north part of Iran, Rasht. Height was measured by tape meter and the comparison between height and 25th and 50th NCHS was evaluated. Data were reported by descriptive statistics and analyzed by Regression tests in SPSS version 19.

Results: Malignancy had been observed in 78 (38.6%) boys and 124 (61.4%) girls with the mean age of 74.76±44.06 months. Results showed that leukaemia was the most common cause of malignancy. Mean heights in most children with malignancies were more than 20th percentile and under 50th percentile of the NCHS.

Conclusion: Although, in this article there was significant correlation between height and cancer but it could be better if larger sample size matched for sex was assessed in a cohort study. Also, if the correlation between height and cancer could be acceptable, cancer could be prevented by measuring IGF1 and GFBP3 factors.