‘One Health’ Approach Is Necessary to Address Rising Environmental Causes of Childhood Cancers

Newswise — A multi-disciplinary, “One Health” approach to cancer research is necessary to guide society in reduction of toxic substances, as well as regulation of chemical impacts on the environment and public health, according to an editorial published recently in Issue II of Annals of Research in Oncology. 

This medical-scientific journal is published by Editor in Chief Professor Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., Director and Founder of Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, and the Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO), at Temple University. The editorial by Prof. Philip Landrigan, Director of the Global Public Health Programme, highlights the relationship between environmental issues and childhood cancer cases, which have been growing rapidly over the past 50 years. 

Landrigan's editorial moves towards the new scientific paradigm known as “One Health”, by which is meant the indissoluble intertwining of three factors: human health, animal health and environmental health as interconnected and dependent on each other. 

In particular, Landrigan emphasises the link between environment and cancer in paediatric subjects, underlining the lack of scientific models that consider the use of chemicals with undesirable effects on human health, which are not carefully studied, and the consequent increase in oncological cases in paediatrics. In fact, there is evidence that environmental exposure, in particular to manufactured chemicals, are a major cause of childhood cancer. The National Cancer Institute currently directs about 1% of its funding towards research into environmental causes of paediatric cancers. 

Landrigan's hope is to identify new scientific models based on epidemiological and toxicological studies to address the rising incidence of childhood cancer, a major challenge for society and the cancer and public health communities.