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The following research summary was taken from *Healthy News
You Can Use,*
Issue #115 August 22, 1999, By Joseph Mercola, D.O. (1)
Genes Raise Pesticide Cancer Risk In Children
Exposure to household pesticides before birth, added to the
inheritance
of certain genes, appears to increase the risk of developing
childhood
acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Indoor use of some insecticides by
(home)
owners and pesticide use in the garden and on interior plants
increased
risks up to several fold. According to the authors, use of
insecticides
in the garden and inside the house, particularly frequent
prenatal use,
was associated with increased risks for leukemia. For example,
fetal
exposure to household cockroach-, ant- and/or wasp-fighting
compounds
during pregnancy increased a child's risk of developing leukemia
by 79%,
the investigators report, compared with children without such
exposure.
And the researchers note that fetal exposure to moth-killer was
associated with more than double the risk for childhood leukemia.
The researchers also suggest that genes governing the activity of
P-450
enzymes might exacerbate this cancer risk. They explain that P-450
enzymes can activate carcinogens found in pesticides -- raising
the
likelihood that exposure to insecticides could trigger cancer. To
investigate this possibility, the researchers compared leukemia
rates in
children with or without two variants of the P-450 genes -- CYP1A1m1
or
CYP1A1m2. The study authors report that cancer risks following
household
insecticide exposure rose even higher in children who carried
these
genes. For example, children with the CYP1A1m1 gene who were
exposed to
mite/spider killer in utero had more than 5 times the risk for
leukemia
of non-exposed children. Household insecticides used in the study
included compounds such as organophosphorous, chlorpyrifos,
diazinon,
dichlorvos, malathion, cygon, propoxur, carbaryl, and chlordane.
The
study is one of the first, if not the first, to evaluate
gene-environment interactions for pesticides and childhood
leukemia, so
the evidence must be viewed as preliminary.
COMMENT: Here we have another wonderful tie in. The "proof"
that
pesticides increase cancer. This study did not follow these
children
20-30 years. If they did, they would find out that they also have
an
increase in breast and testicular cancer. The message is clear,
DO NOT
use pesticides and eat ORGANIC food. This is particularly
important for
pregnant women, as a fetus has the most vulnerable exposure. So
all you
pregnant moms out there pay attention: NO PESTICIDE exposure,
absolutely
NONE. However, you can ignore this warning and dramatically
increase
your child's risk for a future cancer. Tolerating a few bugs now
to save
your child's life in the future, I believe, is a small price to
pay.
Epidemiology September 1999;10:473-475, 481-487.
A Personal Note about a Toxic Environment
I want to add a personal note to this timely research information
reviewed by
Dr. Mercola. I was a special education Resource Room teacher
before becoming
unable to teach in the pesticide laden public schools. Yesterday
I went to my
PCP (Primary Care Physician) for a follow up discussion. His
nurse is a
parent of one of my former students. Phil was a very bright,
personable child
who happens to have a learning disability. His verbal and
intellectual
ability were high. His social skills with others were amazing.
This young
man was a very kind and thoughtful person. I wish that the world
was filled
with humans like Phil.
Yesterday I asked where Linda, Phil's mother, was. That is when I
learned
that she had taken a leave absence because Phil had been in the
hospital for
two months under going chemotherapy treatments for leukemia.
After picking up
my sunken heart, I immediately thought about the fact that
Linda's family
lives in north Whatcom County where farmers had sprayed their
crops with a
now banned pesticide that had been implicated in a childhood
leukemia
cluster. In fact, the Washington State Department of Ecology or
EPA had done
tests on well water in parts of the County where this spraying
had gone on.
The wells of some homes were so toxic that they paid to have
bottled water
for some home owners for more than ten years.
Unfortunately, they probably should have tested the wells and
water of all
the homes in the agricultural part of the County where the
applications of
pesticides have taken place. I don't know that Phil drank any of
this
contaminated well water. He had just graduated from high school
this June. I
was told by receptionist that he has a cousin who also developed
leukemia. I
don't know if Phil's cousin lives in Whatcom County.
We who know the cause and effect relationship of toxic chemicals
know that
kids like Phil and his cousin would not develop childhood
leukemia if there
were no environmental triggers for this illness. How many more
children must
we sacrifice for the economic gains of the pesticide industry?
I am very saddened by the pain this wonderful young man has to go
through.
We know that the chemical industry will never take any
responsibility for
the damage they do to lives. I hope you will say a prayer for
Phil, now in
remission, that he may make a full recovery. I hope someday he
uses those
powerful people skills he has to make this a better planet.
The simple truth is that pesticides were never designed to be
eaten, breathed
or drank. There are millions of people getting cancer and dying
and never
knowing what caused it. At least those of us with pesticide
sensitivity know
when it is in the air and can avoid its destructive effects (most
of the
time). It is time that we ALL stand up to the poison hustlers and
tell them
that we don't want their poisons in our food, our water, and in
our air.
Elections are coming up soon. Ask any politician running where
they stand on
the issue of applying toxic poisons to our buildings, our roads,
and our
lands. I do not want to vote for any politician who is enabling
this
destructive environmental behavior. I just cannot bear to see any
more people
injured with these poisons.
August 23, 1999
Don Richard Paladin
http://wsmcsn.s5..com/
Note: The issue of attempting to explain a cause of MCS is most
crucial. There may be some psychological overlay; but, there is
with many illnesses. Symptoms are not causes
.
The research by Dr. Robert Haley (2)
on Gulf War Vets helps in understanding the issue of
detoxification.. Haley investigated a genetic deficiency of the
enzyme serum paraoxonase. A deficiency is implicated in the
inability of some to detoxify organophosphates and similar toxins.(3)
If anyone thinks that genetic differences in ability to detoxify
a variety of substances is not a real problem, then they have not
heard about a 1998 study in The Journal of the American Medical
Association about people becoming ill and dying from drug
reactions. (4)
On July 29, 1999 CBS News reported: "Approximately two
million people are hospitalized each year for drug reactions and
nearly 100,000 die. Now doctors are paying more attention to the
fact that nearly thirty percent of the population may be taking
drugs their genetic makeup can't handle" (5)
All these drugs, like many toxic chemicals, have been tested and
approved for use. The problem with most research conducted by
industry is that they don't consider biochemical individuality
and that we all cannot detoxify the same chemicals.
Both environment and nature (genes) have an impact upon all lives.
In
the case of some of us, genes like the gene for the PON Q enzyme
that
detoxifies organophophates existed in humans and animals way
before the
creation of these synthetic poisons. The fact that some of us
CANNOT detoxify
these synthetic poisons does not necessarily mean our genes are
defective. It
probably means that the synthetic poisons should not be imposed
upon the
living. Think about it!!!
Bibliographical Links
1. http://www.mercola.com
Dr. Mercola's homepage.
2. http://irweb.swmed.edu/newspub/newsdetl.asp?story_id=144
News Release from UT Southwestern: UT Southwestern researcher
finds gene
3. http://wsmcsn.s5.com/Enzyme.htm
Interviews with Dr. Clement Furlong on PON 1 deficiency
4. http://www.newsweek.com/nw-srv/issue/06_99a/printed/us/st/sc0106_1.htm
Screening for Genes: Matching medications to your genetic
heritage
5. http://www.cbs.com/flat/story_172752.html
Thursday, July 29,1999 - 10:28 PM ET
DNA Testing Flags Risky Drugs
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TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP MAKE THIS A LESS TOXIC PLANET
10. Ask your green grocer to carry organic foods to buy.
9. Look at labels on products and buy low toxic products.
8. Investigate and use non toxic methods to maintain your yard
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7. Ask [phone, write or visit] manufacturers to create non-toxic
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to use alternative, nontoxic methods to maintain public roads,
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4. Demand that politicians write laws that prevent toxic
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3. Network, communicate, support others who are trying to make
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1. Write and campaign for initiatives that prevent toxic
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