Hi all,

In April, the question of a possible link between neonatal vitamin K
injections and childhood leukemia came up on TLC (the Leader Connection). I
searched both the Lactnet archives and Medline for references on vitamin K and
childhood cancer. This is what I found.

The only studies that found a significant link between IM vitamin K given to
newborns and childhood leukemia were two co-authored by J Golding published in
the British Medical Journal in 1990 and 1992. There have been numerous follow-
on studies. None of the studies found a statisically significant link between
vitamin K and pediatric cancer. One study found a very weak association that
was at the borderline of significance. In other words, it was unclear whether
there was any association or not. Given the fact that the overwheming majority
of follow-on studies found no link between vitamin K and cancer and only one
showed even a weak link, it is reasonable to assume that vitamin K will not
cause the child to get cancer later in childhood. What *is* interesting is the
research that shows that vitamin K can be used to help kill cancer cells.

References:
Brousson MA and MC Klein. Controversies surrounding the administration of
vitamin K  to newborns: a review. CMAJ 1996 154(3):307-315

Ekelund H, et al. Administration of vitamin K to newborn infants and childhood
cancer. BMJ 1993 307(6896):89-91

Golding J, et al. Factors associated with childhood cancer in a national
cohort study. Br J Cancer 1990 62(2):304-308

Golding J,et al. Childhood cancer, intramuscular vitamin K, and pethidine
given during labor. BMJ 1992 305(6849):341-346

Klebanoff MA, et al. The risk of childhood cancer after neonatal exposure to
vitamin K. N Engl J Med 1993 329(13):905-908

McKinney PA, et al. Case control study of childhood leukaemia and cancer in
Scotland: findings for neonatal intramuscular vitamin K. BMJ 1998
316(7126):173-177

McMillan DD. Administration of vitamin K to newborns: implications and
recommendations. CMAJ 1996 154(3):347-349

Parker L, et al. Neonatal vitamin K administration and childhood cancer in the
north of England: retrospective case-control study. BMJ 1998 316(7126):189-193

Passmore SJ, et al. Case-control studies of relation between childhood cancer
and neonatal vitamin K administration. BMJ 1998 316(7126):178-184

Passmore SJ, et al. Ecological studies of relation between hospital policies
on neonatal vitamin K administration and subsequent occurence of childhood
cancer. BMJ 1998 316(7126):184-189

von Kries R, et al. Vitamin K and childhood cancer: a population based case-
control in study in Lower Saxony, Germany. BMJ 1996 313(7051):199-203

Two references on vitamin K as an anti-neoplastic agent:
Chlebowski RT, et al. Vitamin K3 inhibition of malignant murine cell growth
and human tumor colony formation. Cancer Treat Rep 1985 69(5):527-532

Yaguchi M, et al. Vitamin K2 and its derivatives induce apoptosis in leukemia
cells and enhance the effect of all-trans retinoic acid. Leukemia 1997
11(6):779-787

Hope that some of you find this useful and/or interesting.
Warmly,
Carol Kelley LLLL
Taylors SC