Document 7OMgODbkZrnZaLGa263dz8Xwa

1\ 4 T yr Child Cancer Is Tied 4. , f` , To Parents'Expds'ure: To Chemicals on Job '** V; -. a - o- \ Study Suggests 25% of Brain j" Tumors May Be Linked; o.'a Further Research Urged.<> ' . ~ . A Wall Staci-t Journal Nowm Roundup Children of chemical workers and others exposed to chemicals, paints and solvents may face a greater risk of brain tumors than other children. . - ' In a recent study of 92 children with brain tumors, scientists found those children were more likely to have parents who worked with chemicals than were a similar . group of children who didn't have tumors. All the children were under 10 years Old. _ Compared with the control group, more than three times as many, mothers of chil dren with brain tumors were exposed to chemicals and nearly three times as many fathers were exposed to solvents. Seven times as many of the children with brain tu mors had fathers who worked with paints. The study didn't identify which chemicals might 'cause the brain tumors. Scientists said further research is necessary. Researchers at the University of South ern California School of Medicine in Los An geles, site of the study, also found an asso ciation between a father's employment in the aircraft industry and his child's brain tu mor. The fathers of 12 children with brain tumors worked ih the aircraft industry, compared with only two of the controls. If the data holds up in further research, it may mean as many as 25% of the brain < cancers among children are caused by the ' occupational exposures of their parents, said Dr. John M. Peters, who headed the re- ; .search team. "We've worried about the dl- j rect effects (of ch&cicaf Exposures) for , years." he said. "Now ''We're beginning to University of Southern California re see evidence that exposures to parents may searchers interviewed the mothers of the 184 have repercussions to' >ills." Results of the children by telephone. The mothers were study are to be published in'this week's Is- asked about their own work histories and ' sue of Science magazine. ' , those of the children's fathers. They also Cancer is. the second leading cause of death among children, after accidents. Brain cancers often are fatal. were asked about smoking habits, use of drugs and alcohol, .hair dyes and certain foods during pregnancy, which the research The study Is significant because little is known about the causes of brain tumors in children or in adults, and little research has been done on how children are affected by their parents' exposure to chemicals. Most studies have concentrated health problems among chemical workers and on the effects of chemicals on fertility, genetic material and on the fetus. Some studies have been done on the health problems of families of ers later concluded wasn't a factor in the brain tumors. The parents' chemical expo sures took place before, during and after pregnancy. .'Thestudy cited several "plausible" ways a child could be affected by a parent's occu pational exposure, including contact with soiled workclothes and the mother's contact with soiled workclothes before or during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. . asbestos workers. ucc 053795 ne*/ pyt- r ucc 053796