Increase in child leukaemia

Children across Britain are 70 per cent more likely to develop a certain type of leukaemia than they were 20 years ago, says new research.

Experts believe a huge increase in cases of precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia among children aged one to four may be due to better standards of living.

Better sanitation and higher living standards have weakened children's immune systems and left the more vulnerable to common infections.

And researchers believe that exposure to common infections may be linked to cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Cancer Research Campaign chief Prof Gordon McVie commented: "Although, plausible, it is to premature to draw any definite conclusions."

This story was first published by the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph

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