Projects we fund

Overview

Leukaemia is the most common cancer affecting children and young people. We don’t know enough about what causes the disease to be able to prevent it. Recent studies have suggested that pollution from road traffic might increase a child’s chances of getting the disease. However, this link has not yet been definitively proven. In this project, Prof Marco Vinceti aims to study the link between road pollution and the risk of childhood leukaemia in Italy, where air pollution is a major health problem. He will recruit 100 children diagnosed with leukaemia in two regions of Italy to his study, as well as with 100 children without leukaemia. These children will be asked to donate blood, urine, and hair samples. In these samples, Prof Vinceti and his team will look for traces of chemicals known to be present in road pollution. From this, they will try and determine whether any particular chemical might be responsible for causing leukaemia in this group of children. The team will also install sensors outside the children’s homes to directly measure the amount of air pollution the children are exposed to where they live. Finally, the children and their families will complete a questionnaire relating to other factors which might also affect their risk of developing cancer.

Potential impact

Prof Vicenti’s project is the most detailed study of its kind to date to look at the link between road traffic pollution and childhood leukaemia. If this link is confirmed, it could strengthen recommendations for controlling air pollution in Italy and elsewhere. Ultimately, this work could help to prevent children developing leukaemia, as well as other health problems.