Volume 147, Issue 6 pp. 1604-1611
Cancer Epidemiology

A population-based study of testicular cancer risk among children and young adults from Norway and Utah, USA

Ruby Del Risco Kollerud

Corresponding Author

Ruby Del Risco Kollerud

Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

The National Centre for Occupational Rehabilitation in Norway, Rauland, Norway

Correspondence to: Ruby Del Risco Kollerud, E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
Hege S. Haugnes

Hege S. Haugnes

Department of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway

Institute of Clinical Medicine, UIT-The Arctic University, Tromsø, Norway

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Bjørgulf Claussen

Bjørgulf Claussen

Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

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Magne Thoresen

Magne Thoresen

Department of Biostatistics, Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

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Per Nafstad

Per Nafstad

Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

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James M. Farnham

James M. Farnham

Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

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Karl G. Blaasaas

Karl G. Blaasaas

Finance Norway, Oslo, Norway

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Øyvind Næss

Øyvind Næss

Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

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Lisa A. Cannon-Albright

Lisa A. Cannon-Albright

Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

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First published: 06 March 2020
Citations: 1

Abstract

Similar family-based cancer and genealogy data from Norway and Utah allowed comparisons of the incidence of testicular cancer (TC), and exploration of the role of Scandinavian ancestry and family history of TC in TC risk. Our study utilizes data from the Utah Population Database and Norwegian Population Registers. All males born during 1951–2015 were followed for TC until the age of 29 years. A total of 1,974,287 and 832,836 males were born in Norway and Utah, respectively, of whom 2,686 individuals were diagnosed with TC in Norway and 531 in Utah. The incidence per year of TC in Norway (10.6) was twice that observed in Utah (5.1) for males born in the last period (1980–1984). The incidence rates of TC in Utah did not differ according to the presence or absence of Scandinavian ancestry (p = 0.669). Having a brother diagnosed with TC was a strong risk factor for TC among children born in Norway and Utah, with HR = 9.87 (95% CI 5.68–17.16) and 6.02 (95% CI 4.80–7.55), respectively; with even higher HR observed among the subset of children in Utah with Scandinavian ancestry (HR = 12.30, 95% CI 6.78–22.31). A clear difference in TC incidence among individuals born in Norway and descendants of Scandinavian people born in Utah was observed. These differences in TC rates point to the possibility of environmental influence. Family history of TC is a strong risk factor for developing TC in both populations.

Abstract

What's new?

The incidence of testicular cancer (TC) has increased substantially in many countries, with the highest incidence found in Denmark and Norway. The reasons remain unknown, however. This population-based study found a clear difference in TC incidence among individuals born in Norway and descendants of Scandinavian people born in Utah. Norwegian males born between 1980 and 1984 had twice the TC incidence found in Utah in the same period. These differences in TC rates point to the possibility of environmental influences and/or lifestyle factors. A family history of TC was a strong risk factor for developing testicular cancer in both populations.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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