The Association Between Birth Weight and the Risk of Neuroblastoma: A Meta- Analysis of Observational Studies Involving 4,361,141 Participants

Abstract

Abstract Purpose One of the most common extracranial childhood solid tumors is neuroblastoma. In this study, it was aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the risk of neuroblastoma in both high and low birth weight. Methods The PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines were followed during the design, analysis, and reporting of this study. A comprehensive literature search was performed for the published papers in Embase, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The odds ratio (OR) of neuroblastoma in high and low birth weight groups, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated using the random-effects and fixed-effects model. Results A total of 16 papers and 4,361,141 participants were included in this study. In this meta-analysis, it was observed a U-shaped relationship between birth weight and neuroblastoma. Individuals with both high and low birth weights may face an increased risk of developing neuroblastoma later in life (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.06–1.29, p = 0.002; OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03–1.37, p = 0.017, respectively). Conclusion As a result, both high and low birth weight in individuals may be among the important risk factors for neuroblastoma development.