Know Causes Of Cancer In Children!

Childhood cancer may be rare but it could happen to any child. Parents often blame themselves for not doing enough to prevent their child from falling ill. No parent should feel guilty, but if you know the causes, you can do your best to minimize the risk of developing cancer. And that is why awareness regarding the causes and triggers of cancer is very important. Here are a few things that researchers have divined from their studies of childhood cancer

What are the causes of childhood cancer?

Owing to the rarity of childhood cancer, researchers don’t know the exact causes or risk factors of cancer amongst children. They have however discovered that most of the causes are different from those of adult-onset cancer. Here are a few reasons which might trigger childhood cancer.

1. Genetics

Children are sometimes born with faulty DNA which they may inherit from one of the parents. And the cells with mutated genes start to replicate themselves and spread at an alarming rate. They then form a malignant tumour.

For example, retinoblastoma, which is the cancer of the retina, is born with a mutation of the RB1 gene. 

2. Problems within the womb

Certain organs of the foetus like the eyes or the kidneys develop earlier than the other organs. Sometimes something goes wrong within the cells as they rapidly grow and multiply and this can cause cancer. Wilm’s tumour (kidneys) develops while the baby is still in the womb.

3. Infections

Certain infections make a child or teenager more vulnerable to cancer. For example, Epstein Barr virus triggers glandular fever which usually passes in a week. But in some cases, the Epstein Barr virus can lead to Hodgkin Lymphoma or Burkitt’s Lymphoma. 

Not just infections, an illness like Down’s syndrome too increases the chances of a child contracting cancer. 

4. Magnetic or electrical fields

Magnetic and electrical fields can lead to cancer. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer believes low-frequency electrical and magnetic fields to be possible carcinogens. 

5. Radiation

Radon gas is a natural gas that human beings may sometimes be exposed to. Sometimes, radon gas can accumulate indoors and exposure to high degrees of this gas can cause childhood cancer. 

UV radiation too is a cause of skin cancer among children.

6. Previous treatment for cancer

It has been noticed that children who receive radiation therapy for cancer may become susceptible to cancer again because of the ionising radiation that enters their body during the treatment. 

7. Pollution

There is a lot of confusion as to whether pollutants are responsible for triggering cancer in children and teenagers. There are several chemicals that can be found in polluted air such as benzene that can be carcinogenic. 

It is also believed pesticides in food or arsenic in water can cause cancer in children. 

Though there is no clear evidence of whether secondhand smoking causes childhood cancer, we know for a fact that tobacco is a carcinogen. So smoking near children is not advisable. 

 Even if a child is born with a mutated gene, he/she may not come down with cancer. The best you can do is limit your child’s exposure to pollutants, tobacco smoke and UV rays of the sun.