Risk of testicular germ-cell tumours in relation to childhood physical activity

Abstract

The US Servicemen's Testicular Tumor Environmental and Endocrine Determinants (STEED) case-control study of testicular germ-cell tumours (TGCTs) enrolled participants and their mothers in 2002-2005. Hours of sports or vigorous childhood physical activity per week were ascertained for three time periods; 1st-5th grades, 6th-8th grades and 9th-12th grades. Son- and mother-reports were analysed separately and included 539 control son-mother pairs and 499 case son-mother pairs. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were produced. The analysis of the sons' responses found no relationship between childhood physical activity and TGCT, while the mothers' analysis found an inverse association, which was solely due to nonseminoma. Future studies should seek to validate responses further using recorded information sources such as school records. © 2008 Cancer Research UK.