Maternal Diet Linked to Childhood Leukemia Risk

Christopher Jensen, Ph.D., Gladys Block, Ph.D., and Patricia Buffler, Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley
R01ES09137 and P42ES04705

Background: Each year approximately 10,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer and about 3,000 die. Cancer causes more deaths in children each year than any other disease. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer in children and the second most common cause of death in children aged 1-14 years. Recent research by this same research team at the University of California, Berkeley has shown that leukemia can originate prenatally. To further investigate the disease and risk factors for it, these researchers examined maternal diet as a possible factor in the development of ALL.

Advance: In a case-control epidemiologic study of 138 women who had a child diagnosed with ALL and 138 women in a control group, the researchers found that the higher the intake of fruits and vegetables and protein-rich foods the lower the risk of having a child with ALL. The risk was approximately 50% less. Consumption of nutrients including provitamin A carotenoids and the antioxidant glutathione were also associated with decreased leukemia risk.

Implication: This is the first study to show that protein sources, such as beef and beans, are beneficial in lowering leukemia risk. Glutathione, found in meat and legumes, plays major roles in the DNA synthesis and repair as well as the detoxification of harmful organic chemicals. These findings illustrate the importance of proper nutrition and a balanced diet for pregnant women and women hoping to become pregnant.

Citation: Jensen CD, Block G, Buffler P, Ma X, Selvin S, and Month S. Maternal dietary risk factors in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (United States). Cancer Causes and Control 15: 559-70, 2004.