Motivated by prior studies, we examined associations between cigarette smoking and risk of intracranial meningioma in a population-based case-control study, including 200 cases and 2 controls matched to each case on age and sex. Subjects were asked to recall their history of active and passive cigarette smoking occurring 10 or more years before the date of meningioma surgery. Ever active smoking was associated with an increased risk of meningioma in men (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.1–4.2) but not in women (OR = 0.7; 95% CI 0.5–1.1). The statistical interaction by gender was significant (p = 0.01). In men, risk increased with increasing number of cigarettes smoked daily (p for trend = 0.04). In women, the trend was opposite (p for trend = 0.08). Among never active smokers, passive smoking from a spouse was associated with increased risk in both sexes (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1–3.5), and risk increased with increasing duration of exposure (p for trend = 0.02). Uncertain is whether these findings reflect a true biological phenomenon or result from chance or uncontrolled confounding.

In a population-based case-control study of 200 cases and 400 controls in western Washington State, the authors assessed associations between meningioma and ionizing radiation in medical and occupational settings. No significant associations were observed for diagnostic studies or occupational settings, but associations were observed for radiation therapy to head or neck (odds ratio 3.7, 95% CI 1.5 to 9.5), especially for neoplastic conditions. Only four patients (2%) had meningiomas that followed high-dose cranial radiation.

BACKGROUND. Ionizing radiation is a likely cause of intracranial meningioma. The authors determined whether the risk of intracranial meningioma was associated with past dental X-rays-specifically, posterior bitewings, full-mouth series, and lateral cephalometric and panoramic radiographs.METHODS. The authors conducted a population-based case-control study of residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties in western Washington State. Case patients (n = 200) had an incident intracranial meningioma that was confirmed histologically during life between January 1995 and June 1998. The authors used random-digit dialing and Medicare eligibility lists to identify two control subjects to be matched to each case patient based on age and gender. Exposures were determined during an in-person interview. The authors compared self-report and dental records in a subset of study participants.RESULTS. Of the 4 dental X-ray procedures evaluated, only the full-mouth series (specifically, 6 over a lifetime) was associated with a significantly increased risk of meningioma (odds ratio, 2.06; 95% confidence limits, 1.03-4.17). However, evidence for a dose-response relation was lacking (P for trend = 0.33). The risk was elevated with the aggregate number Of full-mouth series in 10-year periods from approximately 15-40 years before diagnosis, with significant elevations in the 10-year periods beginning 22-30 years before diagnosis. The risks in these analyses were even greater when only women were considered.CONCLUSIONS. Dental X-rays involving full-mouth series performed 15-40 years ago, when radiation exposure from full-mouth series was much greater than it is now, were associated with an increased risk of meningioma. The authors did not observe an increased risk with bitewings, lateral cephalometric, and panoramic radiographs. (C) 2004 American Cancer Society.

A population-based case-control study in western Washington state was performed to assess the relation between head trauma and meningioma. Based on 200 case and 400 control subjects, head trauma was associated with an increased risk of meningioma (odds ratio = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.28, 2.62), especially head traumas occurring 10 to 19 years before reference date (odds ratio = 4.33; 95% CI = 2.06, 9.10). A dose-response relationship was present for number, but not severity, of head traumas. Whether the associations observed in this study are causal remains unclear.