Environmental Health Center

A periodic resource for environmental, science and health journalists

Childhood Cancer

Cancer is the second biggest killer of children in the United States (after accidents), and in most cases no one knows what causes it. Researchers are examining a range of potential genetic and environmental causes.

Scope of the problem

• More than 8,000 children under the age of 15 (one in every 630) are diagnosed with cancer each year.
• One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of 20.
• Death rates in children have declined by 62% since 1960.
• Incidence of cancer among children in the U.S. is increasing by about 1% per year and no one knows exactly why.
• Incidence of brain tumors in children increased by 30% in the past 15 years.
• Cancer in children is much less common than in adults — children make up only 1% of cancer deaths each year.

What is childhood cancer?

• Leukemias – 39%
• Brain tumors – 15%
• Lymphomas – 10%
• Neuroblastoma – 7%
• Bone cancers – 6%

What causes childhood cancer?

Physicians understand how cancer develops but are less certain why it does or does not develop in a given child. Both genetic factors and environmental factors, working separately or together, cause cancer. Some chemicals (e.g., Diethylstibestrol and Chloramphenicol) have been linked to certain types of cancers in children. The most definitive studies linking environmental factors to cancer are those linking incidence of leukemia to prenatal exposure to x-rays.

Research

Potential environmental risk factors under examination

• Pesticides
• Environmental tobacco smoke
• Industrial chemicals and hazardous wastes
• Household exposure to toxic chemicals
• Electromagnetic fields

Treatments

The general types of treatments include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplants. The treatments are often invasive and painful and wrenching for families. A team of experts, which may include oncologic physicians, pediatric nurses, social workers, psychologists, and others, usually coordinates treatment. Although cancer in children is often identified at a much more advanced stage than in adults, up to 70% of all children with cancer can be cured.

Story Ideas

• Talk to a local pediatric oncologist about trends, focus on environmental and other causes, and research needs.
• Check the National Cancer Institute’s listing of Designated Cancer Centers (http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancercenters) and contact the one nearest you.
• American Cancer Society’s Radio News Service provides free one-minute reports with experts on a variety of topics (800-276-NEWS or http://www.cancer.org).
• A movie version of the book A Civil Action, which focuses on a lawsuit based on childhood cancer clusters, is to be released in late 1998. Explore the scientific controversies around cancer clusters and local reactions to the movie.

For more information

• EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection, 202/260-7778, http://www.epa.gov/children.
• National Cancer Institute, 301/496-6641, http://www.nci.nih.gov.
• American Cancer Society, 212/382-2169, http://www.cancer.org.
• National Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Children’s Cancer Group, 800/458-6223, http://www.nccf.org.
• Pediatric Oncology Group, 312/482-9944, http://www.pog.ufl.edu.

The Environmental Issues Bulletin is produced by the National Safety Council’s Environmental Health Center for the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation. For copies of other Environmental Issues Bulletins, contact RTNDF at (202) 467-5206.

Comments, questions, tips? Contact us by e-mail: ehc@nsc.org or colonyb@rtndf.org