A germ-free childhood could increase the risk of leukaemia, a new study warns. Researchers say the immune system can get stronger when children are exposed to infection in the first year.
According to the study acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a common form of childhood cancer is caused due to two factors:
* A genetic mutation before birth increases the child's risk of developing the disease
* Exposure to certain infections later in childhood
Researchers say children who live in extremely clean environments in the first year of their lives and have limited interaction with other children are more likely to develop lymphoblastic leukaemia. Children who are four-years-old or below are at risk of developing this type of blood cancer. This deadly disease can spread rapidly to other regions of the body, which include the nervous system, liver and lymph nodes.
“The research strongly suggests that (this cancer) has a clear biological cause, and is triggered by a variety of infections in predisposed children whose immune systems have not been properly primed,” study author Mel Greaves, a professor of Cell Biology at the Institute of Cancer Research, told a news portal. Greaves further explained the study's findings “busts some persistent myths about the causes of leukaemia, such as the damaging but unsubstantiated claims that the disease is commonly caused by exposure to electromagnetic waves or pollution.”
Further investigation is needed to uncover effective ways children can be protected against leukaemia. “Preventing childhood leukaemia would have a huge impact on the lives of children and their families in the UK and across the globe,” said Paul Workman, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, London.
Sheena Cruickshank, British Society for Immunology, told a news portal: "It's also important to remember that infections themselves can pose a significant risk for young babies with a developing immune system.
The study's findings were originally published in the journal Nature Reviews Cancer.
