There appears to be much conflicting information about cancer causation. Recent news articles have indicated there is no answer as to why a child gets cancer. To some degree this is true, since we do not yet fully understand the complicated workings of the immune system. However, advances are being made in recognizing certain associations between toxic exposures and cancer risk. For example, it has been observed that childhood leukemia occurs 6.5 times more often in homes where chemicals have been used.

During the 1980s, a cluster of childhood leukemia occurred in Woburn, Mass. After much testing and denial by the local regulatory agencies, it was found that industrial solvents and tannery waste products had indeed polluted the municipal water supply. When the contamination was eliminated, the incidence of leukemia dropped. This is all superbly narrated in a new book by Jonathan Harr titled "A Civil Action," available at local bookstores and libraries.

Many pesticides used commercially in agriculture and by the homeowner (including pest strips) are recognized carcinogens and have never been tested for health effects on children, infants, pregnant women or pets. Most people don't realize that registration by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not guarantee safety. It merely implies that the product will kill or diminish some life form (insect, rodent, weed, mold). Furthermore, it is illegal for a company to advertise that its product is registered with the EPA, giving a false impression that such products are perfectly safe to use.

"Raising Children Toxic Free," by prominent pediatricians Herbert Needleman and Philip Landrigan, is an excellent reference for parents, teachers and health care providers who wish to learn more about childhood health risks associated with everyday chemicals. For example, head lice are often treated with shampoos that contain the pesticide lindane, which is highly toxic to the nervous system. Lindane should not be used on children. The skin is not a protective barrier to toxic chemicals. Quite the opposite is true. Many toxic substances are readily absorbed through the skin.

Deet insect repellent can also have serious health effects on children's neurological systems, causing coma and death in extreme cases. It should never be used directly on the skin. There are safer alternatives available.

According to Needleman and Landrigan, there is growing concern that prenatal exposure of mother or father to certain carcinogenic pesticides and solvents prior to conception may increase risk of cancer in their offspring. They further state an increased rate of leukemia and brain cancer observed in children whose parents were exposed to chemicals, paints and solvents in the workplace. Benzene has been found to cause leukemia and lymphoma in children found handling unleaded gasoline. Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), though contested by the utility industry, is still suspected by many researchers of being a risk factor in childhood leukemia.

The Cancer Awareness Coalition, founded in 1994 as a non-profit organization, seeks to educate the public about the health risks associated with pesticides; to mediate with homeowners, growers and others to use less toxic methods; and to encourage legislation that protects public health. The CAC receives no government funding and welcomes donations to carry on its outreach programs. For more information, please call 914-255-0836, or write to CAC, PO Box 533, New Paltz, N.Y. 12561.

Rose Marie Williams, president

Cancer Awareness Coalition