Cancer Biology Commons^™

The Correlation Between Rates Of Cancer And Autism: An Exploratory Ecological Investigation, Hung-Teh Kao, Stephen L. Buka, Karl T. Kelsey, David F. Gruber, Barbara Porton

Publications and Research

Background: Autism is associated with high rates of genomic aberrations, including chromosomal rearrangements and de novo copy-number variations. These observations are reminiscent of cancer, a disease where genomic rearrangements also play a role. We undertook a correlative epidemiological study to explore the possibility that shared risk factors might exist for autism and specific types of cancer.

Methodology/Principal Findings: To determine if significant correlations exist between the prevalence of autism and the incidence of cancer, we obtained and analyzed state-wide data reported by age and gender throughout the United States. Autism data were obtained from the U.S. Department of Education via …