ABSTRACT
A case control study of potential in utero and post-natal exposures associated with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) was conducted by the Children Cancer Study Group. Data were analysed for 204 case control pairs. Maternal use of mind altering drugs prior to and during pregnancy was found to be associated with an eleven fold increased risk (p = 0.003) of ANLL in offspring when compared to offspring of controls. Ten of the eleven mind-altering drug exposures were either marijuana exclusively (nine) or included marijuana (one). Mothers of ANLL cases were ten times more likely to have used marijuana just preceding or during the pregnancy when compared to control mothers (p = 0.005). Marijuana exposed cases of ANLL differed significantly from non-marijuana exposed cases with respect to age at diagnosis and morphologic subtype. The results of this previously reported study (Robison et al, 1989) suggest the possibility that maternal marijuana use during pregnancy may play an etiologic role in childhood ANLL Studies to follow up these findings are currently underway.
