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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Frances M. Kim, DDS, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, (617) 432-1455, fkim@hsph.harvard.edu

Osteosarcoma is a rare, painful, primary malignant bone tumor believed to develop from osteoblasts. Fluoride ingestion has been suggested as a possible risk factor for osteosarcoma; however this association has not been confirmed in animal or human studies. Multiple ecological and case-control studies have shown no association of osteosarcoma with fluoride exposure. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether systemic exposure to fluoride in drinking water increases the risk for osteosarcoma. Specifically, we examined the concentration of fluoride in bone samples collected from participants in a case-control study and compared bone fluoride levels of individuals with osteosarcoma and those with other bone pathologies. Incident cases and matched controls were selected from 10 hospitals across the U.S between 1993 and 2000. Cases of osteosarcoma were identified by physicians in the orthopedic departments of participating institutions. Two types of control subjects were recruited from the same orthopedic departments as the cases: tumor controls- inpatients with newly diagnosed other malignant bone tumor and orthopedic controls- surgical patients with benign tumors and non-neoplastic conditions. Controls were matched on gender, age within ± 5 years, and residence as defined by distance from the respective medical center. Two segments of bone for all cases and tumor controls were requested from the surgeon, a segment of adjacent, unaffected bone from the margins of tissue removed during definitive surgery and a segment of bone from the contralateral hip. Bone specimens were analyzed for fluoride. Fluoride concentration in bone samples from matched cases and controls were similar.

Learning Objectives:

• Become aware of progress in current research in fluoride and osteosarcoma.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No