Effect of childhood socioeconomic conditions on cancer onset in later life: an ambidirectional cohort study

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Bernadette W.A. van der Linden, University of Geneva; Delphine S. Courvoisier, University of Geneva; Boris Cheval, University of Geneva; Stefan Sieber, University of Geneva; Piet Bracke, Ghent University; Idris Guessous, Emory University; Claudine Burton-Jeangros, University of Geneva; Matthias Kliegel, University of Geneva; Stephane Cullati, University of Geneva
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-05-17
• Publisher: Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2018
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1111-9
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: International Journal of Public Health Science
• ISSN: 2252-8806
• Volume: 63
• Issue: 7
• Start Page: 799
• End Page: 810
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research “LIVES – Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives”, which is financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant No.: 51NF40-160590).; BWAvdL is supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant agreement No. 676060.; The authors gratefully acknowledge additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the US National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740-13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1-AG-4553-01, IAG_BSR06-11, OGHA_04-064, HHSN271201300071C), and various national funding sources (see www.share-project.org).; The SHARE data collection was primarily funded by the European Commission through FP5 (QLK6-CT-2001-00360), FP6 (SHARE-I3: RII-CT-2006-062193, COMPARE: CIT5-CT-2005-028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4-CT-2006-028812), and FP7 (SHARE-PREP: N°211909, SHARE-LEAP: N°227822, SHARE M4: N°261982).
• Keywords: ageing; socioeconomic conditions; life course; old age; Cancer
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Oncology

Abstract

Objectives Living in low socioeconomic conditions during childhood is associated with poor health outcomes in later life. Whether this link also applies to cancer is unclear. We examined whether childhood socioeconomic conditions (CSCs) are associated with cancer risk in later life and whether this effect remained after adjusting for adulthood socioeconomic conditions (ASCs). Methods Data for 26,431 individuals ≥ 50 years old included in SHARE were analysed. CSCs were constructed by using indicators of living conditions at age 10. ASC indicators were education, main occupation, and household income. Gender-stratified associations of CSCs with cancer onset (overall and by site) were assessed by Cox regression. Results In total, 2852 individuals were diagnosed with cancer. For both men and women, risk of overall cancer was increased for advantaged CSCs and remained so after adjusting for ASCs (hazard ratio = 1.36, 95% CI 1.10, 1.63, and 1.70, 95% CI 1.41, 2.07). Conclusions Advantaged CSCs are associated with an increased risk of overall cancer at older age, but results vary by cancer sites and sex. Participation in cancer screening or exposure to risk factors may differ by social conditions.