Nutrition Linked to Childhood Leukemia

Patricia Buffler, Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley
P42ES04705 and R01ES09137

Background: Diet and nutrition have been linked to both increases and decreases in the risk of developing a variety of cancers. However, research into the effects of children’s diets on the risk of childhood cancer has been rare. The research that has been done in this area has focused on consumption of a class of chemicals known as the N-nitroso compounds. Some of these agents are commonly found in processed meats and other foods. The prevailing theory is that they are converted to carcinogenic agents in the acid environment of the stomach, taken up into the blood stream and then transported to the brain leading to an increased risk of brain tumors. Animal studies have shown that vitamins C and E lessen the risk of tumor development because they block a key step in the formation of the carcinogenic agents. To expand on research addressing children’s diets and the risk of childhood leukemia, a NIEHS-supported research team at the University of California, Berkeley conducted an analysis to determine which dietary components consumed in the first two years of life alter childhood leukemia risk.

Advance: The study found that regular consumption of oranges, bananas, and orange juice during the first two years of life was associated with about a 50% reduction in the risk of developing childhood leukemia diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 14 years. They found no association, either positive or negative, between eating hot dogs or lunch meats and the risk of leukemia as had been reported previously.

Implications: Overall, the study results suggest that during the first two years of life, regular consumption of fruits and fruit juices high in vitamin C and or potassium may reduce the risk of childhood leukemia. The authors suggest that if these findings are duplicated in an independent study "...the public health implications are profound and are just cause to initiate a feasible and inexpensive dietary intervention among young children involving regular consumption of fruits and fruit juices."

Citation: Kwan ML, Block G, Selvin S, Month S, Buffler PA. Food consumption by children and the risk of childhood acute leukemia. Am J Epidemiol. 2004 Dec 1;160(11):1098-107.