The number of children diagnosed with cancer has risen by 48 per cent in 18 years, a report shows.
Air pollution, pesticides and poor diet are mainly to blame, according to the charity Children with Cancer UK.
The disease now hits more than 4,000 children – compared with around 2,700 in 1998. The biggest increases were among the 15-24 age group.
Although some of the surge was due to improved diagnosis and screening, experts say environmental and lifestyle factors were more important.
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Denis Henshaw, a Bristol University professor who advises Children with Cancer, said: ‘We were shocked to see the figures, and it’s modern lifestyle I’m afraid.
‘Many items on the list of environmental causes are now known to be carcinogenic, such as air pollution and pesticides and solvents. There has been good research to suggest a mother’s diet can damage DNA in cord blood.
‘Light at night we know is very disruptive for the body, which is why shift workers have such bad health. Burnt barbecues, the electric fields of power lines, the electricity supply in your home. Hairdryers. It’s all of these things coming together, and it seems to be teenagers and young people that are most affected.
‘What’s worrying is it is very hard to avoid a lot of these things.
‘How can you avoid air pollution? It sometimes feels like we are fighting a losing battle.’ Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the under-14s.
Diagnoses of colon cancer among children and teenagers have increased by 200 per cent since 1998, while thyroid cancer has doubled. Ovarian and cervical cancers have risen by 70 per cent and 50 per cent respectively.
Nicola Smith, Cancer Research UK’s senior health information officer, said: ‘Any rise in childhood cancers is worrying but it’s important to remember that less than 1 per cent of cancer cases in the UK occur in children.
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‘It’s not yet clear exactly what causes cancer in childhood and research has not shown a link with environmental factors like air pollution and diet during pregnancy.
‘There are some factors which can increase the risk of childhood cancer like inherited genetic conditions and exposure to radiation – but these are usually not avoidable and no one should feel blamed for a child getting cancer.
‘Evidence has shown there are lots of things adults can do to reduce cancer risk and it’s always a good idea to set up healthy habits as a family, like eating healthily, being active and enjoying the sun safely.’
Daily Mail