Leukemia: Children Exposed To Insecticides May Be At Increased Risk

Children exposed to insecticides may be at an increased risk of developing leukemia, according to recent findings published in the journal Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

."Although pesticides are necessary for the elimination of insects and other pests, the toxic chemicals used in agriculture and for public health can be harmful or even deadly in children," researchers said in a press release. "Exposure to residential indoor insecticides but not outdoor insecticides during childhood was significantly associated with an increased risk of childhood cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma, but not childhood brain tumors."

In this recent study, researchers examined data from 16 previous studies on possible association of childhood cancer and pesticide. Findings revealed that such exposure to the chemical increased chances for leukemia by close to 47 percent. Furthermore, the study results suggested that exposure increase the risk of developing lymphoma by 43 percent.

However, researchers also cautioned that while the link was seen in some of the study results, pesticides may encourage the risk of other cancers as well, and not just leukemia and/or lymphoma.

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