Germ-Free Childhood Could Trigger Leukemia

Recently, a new study conducted suggests that a child who lives in a germ-free home during the first year of his/her life, followed by infections later in life, has an increased chance of being diagnosed by leukemia. With more than 30 years of research, including studies done on genetics, cell biology, immunology, epidemiology, and animal modeling of childhood leukemia, this conclusion was reached by many scientists around the world.

The study was published in Nature Reviews Cancer and it showed that acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer, is caused by a two-step process. The first step is believed to be a genetic mutation that occurs before birth; a mutation exposes a child to the risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The second step is said to be an exposure to certain infections later in a child’s life, after clean early childhoods that previously limited the exposure to infections.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is known as a form of blood cancer and is known as the most common childhood cancer. Most children that are diagnosed with this are anywhere between zero to four years old. ALL occurs when a bone marrow cell develops errors in its DNA. This form of cancer builds up in the blood, which then continues to spread mutations throughout the body. Affected areas include the lymph nodes, liver, and nervous system. ALL can be treated with chemotherapy, similar to most cancers.

The rates of this disease appear to be increasing around the world. It is estimated that there were 53,000 cases worldwide in 2016 and this number will only continue to grow as the years pass. According to the NCI, the five-year survival rate for American children with ALL is around 85 percent. This means that 85 percent of Americans with childhood ALL live at least five years after they receive a diagnosis with cancer (of course this depends on when they were diagnosed, stage, and grade of cancer). These rates are much more common in advanced and modern societies, which suggests that the disease can be brought on by factors that relate to life today. One of these factors that many scientists seem to agree with when they came to their conclusion is the sheltered life that numerous children are kept in. Thus, when they are later exposed to the various infections present today, they become susceptible to acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Scientists support the theory that when a baby is exposed to infections during its first year, its immune system is strengthened. But when infections come on later, without children being exposed to previously, they can trigger leukemia in those with the genetic mutation. It is not fun when a newborn gets sick, but building up its immune system is what helps it fight off stronger viruses and diseases.

It’s promising to think that, in the future, childhood leukemia could become a preventable disease as a result of the work of these scientists. Being able to prevent this form of childhood leukemia would have a huge impact on the lives of children and their families across the globe.

References

Hawkes, N. (2018, May 21). Childhood leukemia may be preventable by exposure to infections in early life. Retrieved June 20, 2020, from https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2246

Leukemia. (2018, March 13). Retrieved June 20, 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/leukemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20374373