THE US EPA CONFERENCE ON PREVENTABLE CAUSES OF CANCER IN CHILDREN - ARESEARCH AGENDA

On 15-16 September 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency spon sored the Conference on Preventable Causes of Cancer in Children. The conference was convened to examine rising trends in reported incidence of childhood cancer and the association of these trends with environm ental exposures. This paper summarizes recommendations for future rese arch offered by participants. These recommendations included more coll aborative research integrating epidemiology, molecular biology, toxico logy, and risk assessment; the development of better protocols for tox icologic testing including carcinogenicity using young animals; and re search focused on specific periods of development during which suscept ibility to environmental agents may be enhanced. Also recommended was enhanced use and development of molecular biomarkers for identificatio n of susceptible populations, and documentation of exposures and effec ts in epidemiologic and toxicologic studies. Although toxicologic test ing is considered essential to determine the effects of potential carc inogens on biological organisms, participants emphasized the need to l ink these findings with epidemiologic and exposure assessment research .