Parents who work near diesel powered equipment like cars, trucks and generators may have kids who are at higher risk of developing brain tumor, says a new study.
Researchers from The University of Western Australia found that children whose parents had higher levels of exposure to diesel fumes had higher odds of developing a brain tumor.
Recently, experts from International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said that they have classified diesel fumes to Group 1 carcinogenics. The report by the agency said that exposure to these exhausts is known to cause lung cancer.
According to IARC, there was limited evidence of the diesel fumes being associated with bladder cancer. Previous research has found that occupational exposure to diesel fumes increases the odds of a person developing cancer. The new study, however, found that even kids of these parents tend to be at a higher risk of developing a serious health complication like a brain tumor.
The current study included 306 children with brain tumor and 950 children who didn't have any tumor. Parents of these children were asked about their work environment.
The study found that father who worked near cars, trucks or heavy machinery at the time of conception had children who had an increased risk of developing brain tumors. Mothers who were exposed to diesel fumes before birth of the child had children who were at increased risk of brain tumor.
"This work on the occupational hazards faced by parents of children with brain tumours was part of a wider study led by Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (TICHR), which also looked at other factors which may be involved in children developing brain tumours," said Susan Peters, lead author of the study.
In the study, diesel fumes were the only engine fumes that were linked to cancer.
The study is published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Published by Medicaldaily.com