What other environmental exposures may cause childhood cancer?
Research has linked childhood cancer to numerous environmental factors. Some of these may occur before the child is even born. For example, parents who were exposed to solvents (such as paint thinners, degreasers, glues or gasoline) on the job are more likely to have children who develop leukemia or brain tumors. A few studies have found possible links between exposure to electromagnetic fields and childhood leukemia, although these results are contradicted by several good studies that found no such link. Ionizing radiation (such as that produced by nuclear bombs, nuclear power plants, and X-rays) is a known cause of childhood cancer. Other likely links include cigarette smoke and radon gas.
