Some vaccines associated with lower risk of childhood leukemia

The risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was lower among children born in areas of Texas with higher immunization rates for Hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus and Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) vaccines, according to a case-control study of 14,000 children.

Previous research has indicated that vaccines might help lower the risk of childhood cancers by altering the immune system.

Results of this study showed that children had a lower risk of ALL if they were born in public health regions with Hib vaccination rates at or above the 90th percentile.  In addition, the risk for all cancers combined and the ALL subgroup was lower for children born in counties with Hepatitis B vaccine coverage rates at or above the 90th percentile.

Higher coverage levels of IPV were associated with lower rates of ALL at the county level.

_ excerpt from the AAP news May 2011Pagoa, M etal.