Prenatal exposure to some PFAS is associated with a higher risk of childhood leukemia, according to a large study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
In short:
- Children born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when exposure levels to PFOS (a type of PFAS) were highest, had the highest risk of leukemia.
- PFAS, like other toxic chemicals, can be transferred from mother to baby through umbilical cord blood.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the type of cancer studied here, is the most common childhood cancer worldwide.
Key quote:
“Given the ubiquity of PFAS exposure and limited established childhood leukemia risk factors, these findings have important public health implications.”
Why this matters:
PFAS have been used in everyday consumer products for nearly a century. Although there’s growing evidence of the connection between PFAS and adult cancers, almost no studies have focused on the relationship between prenatal exposure and childhood cancers. This study highlights the need for additional research, particularly since infants and children are especially susceptible to the impacts of chemical exposure.
Related EHN coverage:
- PFAS chemicals on your baby’s diapers
- Pennsylvanians living near fracking wells face higher risk for childhood cancer, low birth weights and asthma attacks
Jones, Rena et al. for JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute vol. 13. Dec. 13, 2023
