Fighting childhood cancer. The greatest reason to give

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The importance of research


Why is it important to research the causes?

Something about our modern lifestyle has increased the risk of our children developing leukaemiaThe incidence of childhood leukaemia increased steadily throughout the 20th century – at a rate of approximately 1 per cent per year.
 
Although incidence now seems to have plateaued, the rise in incidence through the last century suggests that something about our modern lifestyle has increased the risk of our children developing leukaemia.
 
If we can understand what elements of today’s lifestyle are placing our children at risk, we may be able to implement protective measures.

Understanding the risks

One of the most significant papers concerning the causes of childhood cancers was published in 1975.
 
As part of the Oxford Survey of Childhood Cancers, Professor Alice Stewart and Professor John Bithell exposed the dangers of obstetric x-rays.

Their research showed that children whose mothers had received abdominal x-rays whilst pregnant were more likely to develop leukaemia and other cancers.

This ended the practice of x-raying pregnant women.

Advancing treatments

The research into the development of new treatments for childhood leukaemia feeds off our advancing knowledge of the causes of the disease.
 
Improving our understanding of how leukaemia develops gives us an insight into better ways of treating the disease.

It will help us to develop increasingly tailored treatments which will continue to save more children with cancer, and reduce the risk of side-effects associated with current treatments.

Read more: Our research | Causes of childhood cancer
Related Topics causes, incidence

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