An infectious etiology for common acute lymphoblastic leukemia in childhood?
Childhood leukemia is a biologically and clinically diverse disease and is likely to arise via a number of etiological pathways. The common, B-cell precursor, form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cALL) accounts for the peak of childhood leukemia at 2-5 years of age. Recent epidemiological data, reviewed here, indicate that risk of cALL is increased by higher socio-economic status, isolation, and other community characteristics suggestive of abnormal patterns of infection during infancy. These data are compatible with the emerging concept that cALL may be a rare response to common infection(s).
Greaves
M F
MF
Leukaemia Research Fund Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
Alexander
F E
FE
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012307:Risk Factors