Cause Of Childhood Cancer Pollutants

30 November -0001

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Many childhood cancers are the likely result of exposure to pollutants while babies are still in the womb, a university researcher has said.

Professor George Knox, emeritus professor at the University of Birmingham, looked at a chemical emissions map for the UK for 2001 and details of children under 16 who had died from leukaemia and other cancers between 1966 and 1980.

Professor Knox believes the mothers can inhale environmental toxins and pass them to the foetus across the placenta, saying the most dangerous pollutants were produced by industry or transport and these should be targeted in attempts to reduce childhood cancers.

Cancer Research UK though point out that the evidence that most childhood cancers were "probably" down to industrial and environmental pollutants was very thin.

Around 1,500 new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed each year in Britain, accounting for around 300 deaths annually.

The research team at the University of Birmingham, analysed maps showing chemical emissions alongside details of children dying from leukaemia and other cancers before their 16th birthday between 1966 and 1980.

He calculated that babies born within 1km of emissions hotspots for particular chemicals were between two and four times more likely to die of cancer before the age of 16 than other children.

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