Escalating Incidence of Childhood Cancer 
Ignored by 
National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society  

SAMUEL EPSTEIN, M.D. and QUENTIN YOUNG, M.D. / Bay Area Business Woman v.9, n.9, Jun02

Chicago/PRNewswire - Since passage of the 1971 National Cancer Act, launching the "War Against Cancer," the incidence of childhood cancer has steadily escalated to alarming levels. Childhood cancers have increased by 26 percent overall, while the incidents of particular cancers have increased still more, including acute lymphocytic leukemia, brain cancer and bone cancer.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the "charitable" American Cancer Society (ACS) have failed to inform the public, let alone Congress and regulatory agencies, of this alarming information. As importantly, they have failed to publicize well-documented scientific information on avoidable causes responsible for the increased incidence of childhood cancer.

This indifference is compounded by conflicts of interest; particularly with the giant cancer drug industry. Not surprisingly, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the nation's leading charity watchdog, has charged that, "The ACS is more interested in accumulating wealth than saving lives."

The minimal priorities of the cancer establishment for prevention reflects mindsets and policies, not lack of resources. NCI's annual budget today is $4.2 billion, a 20-fold increase since 1971, while revenues of the ACS are now about $800 million. NCI expenditures on primary prevention have been estimated as less than four percent of its budget (which calculates to around $1.68 million), while ACS allocates less than 0.1 percent of its revenues to primary prevention and "environmental carcinogenesis."

It should be particularly stressed that fetuses, infants and children are much more vulnerable and sensitive to toxic and carcinogenic exposures than are adults. It should also be recognized that the majority of carcinogens also induce other chronic toxic effects, especially in fetuses, infants and children. These include endocrine disruptive and reproductive, hematological, immunological and genetic, for which there are no available incidence trend data comparable to those for cancer.

For more information, see the American Public Health Association website at www.hmprg.org, or www.preventcancer.com .