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๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท Turkey /Health & Science

Study Finds Pesticide Residues in Bone Marrow of Children With Leukemia

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Turkish pediatric oncology specialist said research has linked pollutants, including pesticides and air pollution, to some childhood cancers, particularly leukemia and lymphoma.
  • Prof. Dr. ฤฐbrahim Bayram said his team found higher pesticide residues in the bone marrow of children with leukemia than in healthy children.
  • He said children, especially during pregnancy and early development, are more vulnerable to chemicals, pollution and radiation.

Pesticide residues were found at higher levels in the bone marrow of children with leukemia than in healthy children, according to research cited by Turkish pediatric hematology and oncology specialist Prof. Dr. ฤฐbrahim Bayram.

Bayram said several studies have identified links between environmental factors and childhood cancers. The association appears clearest in leukemia and lymphoma, which are among the most common childhood cancers, although the relationship varies by cancer type.

Research has identified links between many factors, from air pollution to pesticides, and childhood cancers.

· Prof. Dr. ฤฐbrahim BayramBayram described evidence connecting environmental pollution with childhood cancer, especially leukemia and lymphoma.

He stressed that the timing of exposure matters. Pregnancy is considered the most vulnerable period because development involves rapid cell division, as a single cell grows into a baby. Infections, chemicals and radiation during that process may disrupt development and create conditions that contribute to cancer later in life, he said.

Children are much more sensitive to environmental pollution than adults because they are growing organisms.

· Prof. Dr. ฤฐbrahim BayramHe explained why children may face greater effects from industrial waste, air pollution and chemical residues.

Children remain more sensitive to chemicals than adults because their bodies are still developing. Industrial waste, air pollution and chemical residues in food can affect them more strongly. Bayram said even small amounts of chemicals in food may accumulate in the body over time and damage cells, while pollution can weaken the immune system and make it harder to identify cancer cells.

He also pointed to possible genetic effects. Environmental toxins can cause mutations in reproductive cells that may be passed from parents to children and lead to cancer at a younger age. Bayram said about 20% of childhood cancers involve a genetic predisposition. He urged pregnant women to avoid chemicals, including products such as hair dye, and to ensure that the food they eat does not contain chemical residues.

In our own research, we detected more pesticide residues in the bone marrow of children with leukemia than in healthy children.

· Prof. Dr. ฤฐbrahim BayramBayram presented the finding that prompted concern about pesticide exposure and leukemia.
About this summary

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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