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Researchers from the University of Minnesota and WashingtonUniversity in St. Louis have found folic acid fortification ofgrain products in the United States may have an impact on loweringsome childhood cancers . The new research, published online in the journal Pediatrics , shows fortification does not appear to be causing childhoodcancer rates to increase, and also finds a notable decrease in twotypes of childhood cancer. This study was led by Amy Linabery, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow inthe University of Minnesota's Division of Pediatric Epidemiologyand Clinical Research, and Kimberly Johnson, Ph.D., assistantprofessor in the Brown School at Washington University in St.Louis, and co-authored by Julie Ross, Ph.D., professor and directorof the Division of Pediatric Epidemiology and Clinical Research atthe University of Minnesota. Funding was provided by the NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH) and the Children's Cancer Research Fund,Minneapolis. Grain product fortification began in 1996, after the FDA determinedprenatal folic acid could benefit infants by reducing theoccurrence of neural tube defects (such as spina bifida) and wantedto expand the benefits to all newborns. The population-level studyby Linabery and colleagues compared data for incidence of childhoodcancers before and after fortification began, using statistics fromthe National Cancer Institute (NCI) between 1986 and 2008; morethan 8,000 cancer cases were evaluated. "We were looking to see if rates for childhood cancers droppedfollowing the fortification mandate," said Linabery. "We were alsowatching closely to see if any cancers appeared to increase duringthe same time frame." While some cancers appeared unaffected by the fortification, othersshowed a notable decrease following the FDA mandate. Specifically,both Wilms tumor , the most common type of kidney cancer in children, and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), a type ofbrain tumor, saw a significant decrease in occurrence following thestart of grain product fortification. No cancers appeared to risein response to fortification according to the analyzed data. The lack of rising cancer rates suggests that the folic acidfortification does not appear to cause unintended harm forchildren. Linabery also points out the primary benefit of folicacid in preventing neural tube defects, adding to the case forcontinued fortification. There is much more research to be done. Linabery says, "Theseresults help generate further hypotheses regarding folic acid'spotential impact in cancer biology. The data we found on Wilmstumor and PNET in children warrants a closer investigation todetermine the role of folic acid in possibly preventing thesediseases." Additional References Citations. I am an expert from ledflood-lighting.com, while we provides the quality product, such as LED Flood Lighting Manufacturer , LED Par Lights, LED Flat Panel Lighting,and more.
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