Ranking Prenatal Outdoor Exposure in Mothers in Central and Southern Mexico in the Setting of a Case Series Study of Pediatric Retinoblastoma Carcinogenesis

Victor Castano

Name: Víctor Gustavo Castaño Iraheta
School: Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, Class of 2022. Varmus Global Scholar 2019
Mentor: Manuela Orjuela-Grimm MD, ScM

Teresa Logue

Name: Teresa Logue
School: Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, Class of 2022. Varmus Global Scholar 2019
Mentor: Manuela Orjuela-Grimm MD, ScM

 

 

 

 

 


 

Abstract

We developed a novel method of ranking outdoor exposure levels in pregnant women enrolled in the EpiRbMx study*. Self reported information about recreational activities was reviewed for all 681 mothers enrolled and job tasks for 285 who reported employment during pregnancy. Targeted investigation of informal sector activities was conducted where necessary. A composite score for outdoor exposure was generated in which mothers received 1 point for each of the following: outdoor employment, tending to crops, and/or caring for farm animals. Of the 285 that worked during pregnancy, 31 (4.55%) had a job that involved tasks which occurred outside. Of the 681 mothers enrolled, 106 (15.94%) cared for a farm animal and 46 (8.66%) tended to crops during pregnancy. Thus, 384 (73.99%) had a composite outdoor exposure score of 0;117 (22.54%) had a score of 1;16 (3.08%) had a score of 2 and 2 (0.39%) had a score of 3 (missing=162). Few women had an outdoor employment during pregnancy, but several participated in other activities that likely occurred outdoors; not accounting for these would have caused a misclassification of outdoor exposures. Our tool will be refined to weigh exposures by duration and trimester before being used to evaluate retinoblastoma risk.

*EpiRbMx is a National Cancer Institute-funded case series study that examines in utero exposures potentially associated with genetic and epigenetic changes in the retinoblastoma gene RB1 and the development of sporadic retinoblastoma in children. Pediatric cases and their families are recruited from referral centers in Mexico City, as are matched controls. Dr. Orjuela-Grimm is its Principal Investigator.