Post by Prinses Máxima Centrum voor kinderoncologie

A large European consortium will investigate environmental factors that may cause cancer in children, teenagers, and young adults. Through rigorous research into external causes of childhood cancer, the research team aims to contribute to improved regulations that could help prevent some cases of childhood cancer in the future. Prof. Ruben van Boxtel, research group leader at the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology and Oncode Institute, is leading the European CUECAN consortium. He says: ‘For a long time, it was assumed that childhood cancer could not be prevented. However, there is increasing evidence that this assumption may not be correct. The rise in cancer among adolescents and young adults suggests that environmental factors may play an important role. ‘If, in this large-scale study, we can identify even a single preventable exposure that increases cancer risk, it could represent a major breakthrough. It would open up new opportunities for prevention.'