The prenatal origins of lung cancer. II. The placenta
Abstract
We have shown that people who were short at birth in relation to their weight are at increased risk of lung cancer. We suggested that this reflected low amino acid–high glucose delivery to the fetus and that this impaired the development of its antioxidant systems and made it vulnerable to tobacco smoke and other carcinogens in later life. Transfer of amino acids and glucose from mother to fetus depends on the placenta. We here examine how maternal and placental size are related to lung cancer. We studied two cohorts, totaling 20,431 people, born in Helsinki during 1924–1944. Their body size at birth and maternal body size had been recorded together with the weight of the placenta and two diameters of its surface. Of them, 385 had developed lung cancer. Three different maternal–placental–fetal phenotypes were associated with lung cancer. Common to each was a short mother and a newborn baby that was short in relation to its weight. Lung cancer was associated with either a small or a large placental surface area. In the three phenotypes, the hazard ratios associated with a 100 cm 2 increase in placental surface were 0.36 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.87, P = 0.02), 2.31 (1.45 to 3.69, P < 0.001) and 2.04 (1.08 to 3.86, P = 0.03). We conclude that three different maternal–placental phenotypes were associated with later lung cancer. We suggest that each led to low amino acid‐normal glucose transfer to the fetus, reflected in a newborn baby that was short in relation to its weight. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
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Lung cancer cases were characterized by having a short mother and a high ponderal index at birth, and the delivered placenta had either a small or a large surface area in three separate phenotypes.
“The cases were characterized by having a short mother and a high ponderal index (weight/length 3 ) at birth, and the delivered placenta had either a small or a large surface area in three separate phenotypes (38).”
From Placental Origins of Chronic Disease (2016) · cites this paper as [38]
Cites
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- Authors
- Barker, D. J. P., Thornburg, K. L., Osmond, C., Kajantie, E., & Eriksson, J. G.
- Affiliations
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- Southampton General Hospital (GB)
- Helsinki University Hospital (FI)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Barker, David J.P.
- Venue
- American Journal of Human Biology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-03-22
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 512-516
- ISSN
- 1042-0533 (ISSN-L)
- 1520-6300
- OpenAlex
- W2032155415
- Cited by
- 61
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 8.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Human Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- British Heart Foundation
- National Institute on Aging (R01AG032339)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Keywords
- lung cancer, placenta, fetal growth restriction, placental surface area, maternal body size, placental weight, amino acid transfer, glucose transfer, antioxidant defense, tobacco smoke exposure
- MeSH terms
- Birth Weight, Body Height, Female, Finland, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Lung Neoplasms, Male, Organ Size, Phenotype, Placenta, Pregnancy, Cohort Studies, Body Mass Index, Fetal Weight, Maternal-Fetal Relations
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