Infections may cause cancer in kids

Although cancer in children is rare, numbers of the diseased youngsters have increased over the past three decades. The leading cancers among children are leukemia and brain tumors. Recent studies have revealed that these cancers may be triggered by minor infections that affected bearing mothers or children in their early years.

Common infections like cold, mild flu or respiratory infections are suspected to be the possible triggers in the children who already carry mutant cells. This makes them more vulnerable to the disease. The virus hits mutant cells and cause a second mutation, prompting the onset of cancers.

The study analyzed data from 1954 until 1998 and looked for unusual patterns of cancer linked to the time and place of children's birth and where they were living when diagnosed with cancer.

Although these findings provide more clues to a link between viruses and some types of childhood cancer, more evidence is needed to be sure.

While numbers of diseased children are on rise, survival rates however have improved. Five-year survival rates are about 75 percent in western Europe and 63 percent in eastern Europe.