OPINION: Escalating Incidence of Childhood Cancer Ignored

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http://ens-news.com/ens/may2002/2002L-05-09e.html

OPINION: Escalating Incidence of Childhood Cancer Ignored

By Epstein, M.D. and Quentin Young, M.D.

CHICAGO, Illinois, May 9, 2002 (ENS) - Since passage of the 1971 National

Cancer Act, launching the " War Against Cancer, " the incidence of childhood

cancer has steadily escalated to alarming levels. Childhood cancers have

increased by 26 percent overall, while the incidence of particular cancers

has increased still more - acute lymphocytic leukemia, 62 percent; brain

cancer, 50 percent; and bone cancer, 40 percent.

Boys with cancer at summer camp (Photo courtesy Special Love)

The federal National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the charitable American

Cancer Society (ACS), the cancer establishment, have failed to inform the

public, let alone Congress and regulatory agencies, of this alarming

information.

As importantly, they have failed to publicize well documented scientific

information on avoidable causes responsible for the increased incidence of

childhood cancer.

Over 20 U.S. and international studies have incriminated paternal and

maternal exposures (pre-conception, during conception and post-conception)

to a wide range of occupational carcinogens as major causes of childhood

cancer.

There is substantial evidence on the risks of brain cancer and leukemia in

children from frequent consumption of nitrite-dyed hot dogs; consumption

during pregnancy has been similarly incriminated. Nitrites, added to meat

for coloring purposes, have been shown to react with natural chemicals in

meat (amines) to form a potent carcinogenic nitrosamine.

Consumption of non-organic fruits and vegetables, particularly in baby food,

contaminated with high concentrations of multiple residues of carcinogenic

pesticides, poses major risks of childhood cancer, besides delayed cancers

in adult life.

Numerous studies have shown strong associations between childhood cancers,

particularly brain cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia, and domestic

exposure to pesticides from uses in the home, including pet flea collars,

lawn and garden; another major source of exposure is commonplace use in

schools.

Use of lindane, a potent carcinogen in shampoos for treating lice and

scabies, infesting about six million children annually, is associated with

major risks of brain cancer; lindane is readily absorbed through the skin.

Treatment of children with Ritalin for " Attention Deficit Disorders " poses

risks of cancer, in the absence of informed parental consent. Ritalin has

been shown to induce highly aggressive rare liver cancers in rodents at

doses comparable to those prescribed to children.

Maternal exposure to ionizing radiation, especially in late pregnancy, is

strongly associated with excess risks of childhood leukemia.

It is of particular significance that the cancer establishment ignored the

continuing increase in the incidence of childhood cancer in its heavily

promoted, but highly arguable, March 1998 " claim to have reversed an almost

20 year trend of increasing cancer cases. "

The failure of the cancer establishment to warn of these avoidable cancer

risks reflects mindsets fixated on damage control - screening, diagnosis,

and treatment - and basic genetic research, with indifference to primary

prevention, as defined by research and public education on avoidable causes

of cancer.

For the ACS, this indifference extends to a well documented longstanding

track record of hostility, such as supporting the Chlorine Institute in

defending the continued global use of chlorinated organic pesticides, and

assurances in the 2002 Cancer Facts and Figures that cancer risks from

dietary pesticides and ionizing radiation are all at such low levels as to

be " negligible. "

This indifference to primary prevention is compounded by conflicts of

interest, particularly with the giant cancer drug industry. Not

surprisingly, " The Chronicle of Philanthropy, " the nation's leading charity

watchdog, has charged that, " The ACS is more interested in accumulating

wealth than saving lives. "

Child cancer patient and volunteer (Photo courtesy Palmetto Health South

Carolina Cancer Center)

The minimal priorities of the cancer establishment for prevention reflects

mindsets and policies and not lack of resources. NCI's annual budget has

increased some 20 fold since passage of the 1971 Act, from $220 million to

$4.2 billion, while revenues of the ACS are now about $800 million.

NCI expenditures on primary prevention have been estimated as under four

percent of its budget, while ACS allocates less than 0.1 percent of its

revenues to primary prevention and " environmental carcinogenesis. "

It should be particularly stressed that fetuses, infants and children are

much more vulnerable and sensitive to toxic and carcinogenic exposures than

are adults.

It should also be recognized that the majority of carcinogens also induce

other chronic toxic effects, especially in fetuses, infants and children.

These include endocrine disruptive and reproductive, haematological,

immunological and genetic, for which there are no available incidence trend

data comparable to those for cancer.

The continued silence of the cancer establishment on avoidable causes of

childhood, besides a wide range of other, cancers is in flagrant denial of

the specific charge of the 1971 National Cancer Act " to disseminate cancer

information to the public. "

As seriously, this silence is a denial of the public's inalienable

democratic right-to-know of information directly impacting on their health

and lives, and of their right to influence public policy.

Whether against cancer or terrorism, war is best fought by preemptive

strategies based on prevention rather than reactively on damage control. As

importantly, the war against cancer must be waged by leadership accountable

to the public interest and not, as is still the case, special agenda private

interests. The time for open public debate on national cancer policy is long

overdue.

{ Epstein, M.D. is chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, and

professor emeritus of environmental and occupational medicine, University of

Illinois School of Public Health, Chicago. Email him at: epstein@...

Quentin Young, M.D. is chairman of the Health and Medicine Policy Research

Group, and past president of American Public Health Association, Chicago.

Email him at: info@...}