The causes of most cases of childhood cancer are unknown. But certain conditions or characteristics are known to increase the risk for childhood cancer.
Keep in mind that not all children with one of these risk factors will develop cancer, and not every child who develops cancer will have one of these risk factors.
- AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Children with AIDS have an increased risk of Kaposi’s sarcoma, lymphomas, and leiomysarcoma (a muscle cancer).
- Exposure to cigarettes or alcohol before birth. This exposure increases the risk for several types of leukemia.
- Exposure to benzene. Childhood exposure to this chemical increases risk of several types of leukemia.
- Family history. A child with a sibling diagnosed with a childhood cancer is at increased risk for developing cancer during childhood.
- Gender. Boys are more likely than girls to develop Hodgkin lymphoma and Ewing sarcoma. Girls are slightly more likely than boys to develop Wilms tumors.
- Genetic syndromes. Children with certain genetic syndromes or diseases have increased risk for developing specific cancers.
- Down syndrome increases the risk for leukemia.
- Li-Fraumeni syndrome increases the risk for brain tumors, sarcomas, leukemia, adrenal cancer, breast cancer, and, rarely, Wilms tumor.
- Neurofibromatosis type 1 and 2 increases the risk of brain tumors and leukemia.
- Basal cell nevus syndrome increases the risk of brain tumors and skin cancers.
- Fanconi anemia increases the risk for leukemia.
- Turcot syndrome increases the risk of some types of childhood brain tumors.
- Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, Bloom syndrome, Werner syndrome, Paget disease, Diamond Blackfan syndrome, and hereditary retinoblastoma all increase the risk of osteosarcoma.
- WAGR syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, hemihyperplasia, Denys-Drash syndrome, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias are all associated with an increased risk of Wilms tumors.
- MDS (preleukemia) or aplastic anemia. Children with these conditions have an increased risk for leukemia.
- Past chemotherapy treatment. Certain chemotherapy agents can increase the risk of leukemia or osteosarcoma when used in children to treat other cancers.
- Past infection with Epstein-Barr virus. Children who have had mononucleosis or other infections caused by this virus are at increased risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Race. Childhood cancers in general are more common among white people. Certain leukemias are more common among people who are Hispanic. African-American children have a slightly higher risk of developing Wilms tumors.
- Radiation. Exposure to radiation during prior cancer treatment, during x-rays, or in an accident increases risk of childhood leukemia and sarcomas.
Learn more about pediatric cancer:
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