Causes of childhood leukaemia

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 26 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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A study is underway in Perth, Australia in an attempt to find out what the causes of childhood leukaemia are.

They will investigate several factors, such as diet, chemical exposure and genetic factors. They are seeking to find out what effect these factors have on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. This is the most common form of childhood cancer.

They will compare hundreds of families of children with leukaemia with hundreds of families of healthy children.

They will focus on the role of folate in the diet. Study leader Professor Bruce Armstrong said 'We discovered the possibility of a relationship between folate in pregnancy, and protection from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia some years ago here in Western Australia. Now this is all totally novel, no-one's done it before,' he said.