BOSTON -- A new report states that most cancer in children is not inherited but rather caused by chemicals in air, water and household products.
NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that the report says that childhood cancer in Massachusetts is rising at a rate of 1 percent each year, higher than the national average. Researchers said chemical exposure is responsible, especially in incidences of leukemia, brain cancers and cancers of the central nervous system.
The study released by University of Massachusetts-Lowell and the Boston University School of Public Health shows childhood cancer cases increased 21 percent between 1975 and 1998.
"Most people think that if chemicals are in products they use every day, they must be proven safe by the government," said Joel Tickner, of UMass-Lowell. "The government wouldn't let them into their products if they weren't, indeed, safe. And that's not true."
The state has investigated cancer clusters in various communities. Lee Brooks, of Wilmington, volunteered to have her water tested two years ago. As the parent of two healthy children, she wanted to help.
"For the parents, you're thinking, how do they go through this?" Brooks said. "How do they deal with it?"
A year later, her son, Paul, was diagnosed with leukemia.
"My son came down with leukemia," she said. "I was in shock."
Researchers said the increase in childhood cancers can be linked to chemicals from car emissions, pesticides used on lawns and exposure by parents before conception to dangerous workplace toxins, such as paints and petroleum-based solvents.
"Dioxin is one of those," said Richard Clapp, of the BU School of Public Health. "Dioxin is released when plastics are incinerated or medical waste is incinerated, so there are ways to reduce that or use less-toxic materials in the first place."
No one will ever know whether chemicals found in the Wilmington water supply caused Paul Brooks' leukemia, but his mother said prevention needs to be a priority.
"I would like to see people become more involved so that they know where these cancers are coming from and what is causing them," she said.
While childhood cancer may be increasing, it affects just 16 out of every 100,000 children each year.
New legislation is being debated that would replace 10 of the most dangerous chemicals listed in the report with safer substitutes.
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