It is finally possible to identify the environmental factors responsible for childhood leukaemia, researchers told a meeting in London last week. Now it's time to think about how to prevent the disease, they said. Exposure to radiation, chemicals and power lines are not a significant cause, the meeting heard. In fact, most cases are caused by common infections in toddlers. Leukaemia causes the production of abnormal white blood cells, and accounts for a third of cancers in children. Some genetic predisposition is involved, but for decades scientists have been trying to identify what triggers the disease.
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