Why is this study being done?

This study is being done to learn more about infant leukemia, and is being conducted by Dr. Julie A. Ross at the University of Minnesota. The participants include:

• Mothers of children who have been diagnosed with leukemia
• Mothers of children who have not been diagnosed with leukemia

The information from the two groups will be compared to see what, if anything, is different about those who have been diagnosed with leukemia.

Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. Leukemia is cancer that begins in blood cells. At first, leukemia cells function almost normally. In time, they may crowd out normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This makes it hard for the blood to do its work. For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute's "What You Need to Know About Leukemia" web page.

This study is called an epidemiologic study, which means that the researchers are gathering information from several families in order to find patterns between potential risk factors they have been exposed to and infant leukemia. It is known that some environmental factors, such as toxic chemicals, can cause cancer. There are some genetic factors in people which can make it more likely for themselves or their children to develop cancer. Some cancers are caused by a combination of factors, including the environment and genetics.

In this study, both environmental and genetic risk factors are being looked at. Mothers are asked to participate in a telephone interview and provide a sample of cheek cells from themselves and their infants. The interview takes an hour or less. Carefully determined interview questions ask for information related to medical history, family health history, personal habits such as smoking, reproductive history, and events surrounding the child's birth. It must be emphasized that the significance of many of the questions asked is entirely unknown. Only by asking questions such as these can we learn whether any of these factors are important in the development of childhood leukemia.

Sponsor

National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute

Researcher in Charge of the Study

Julie A. Ross, Ph.D.
Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
MMC 422 420 Delaware St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Questions?

Please read the following Information for Infant Study Participants question-and-answer pages:

• For mothers whose children have been diagnosed with leukemia
• For mothers whose children do not have leukemia

Or call the study staff at the University of Minnesota toll-free at 1-800-511-2629.