Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 41 1 2012 01 15 9 16 HC Wang Dept. of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China HL Lin School of Public Health and Primary Care, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong N Shao Dept. of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China JR Zhang Dept. of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China J Zou Dept. of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China CY Ji Dept. of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China 2015 10 03 Background: A case-control study was carried out to investigate the roles of prior allergies and family history of cancers and their interaction in the etiology of adult leukemia. Methods: Prior allergies status and family history of cancers in first-degree relatives were compared between 131 incident leukemia cases and 206 hospital-based controls. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using an unconditional regression model taking into account potential confounding factors. Results: Significant association between adult leukemia and prior allergies and family history of cancer (OR=2.09, 95% CI: 1.22-3.58 for prior allergies; and OR=2.35, 95% CI: 1.09-5.03 for family history of cancer, OR=15.88, 95% CI: 1.77-142.55 for both the two factors (+), respectively) was found after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Conclusion: Prior allergies and family history of cancers may be risk factors for adult leukemia; their interaction was likely to be synergistic rather than additive for the risk of leukemia. https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/2628 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/2628/2608