Food varieties have no link to childhood cancer - Specialist

Despite claims that various food varieties containing chemical food preservatives have resulted in the increase in childhood cancer, a medical specialist said yesterday food pattern or food varieties have no direct impact on childhood cancer.

 

Pediatric oncologist at the National Cancer Institute Dr.Sanjeewa Gunasekara told a news conference at the Health Promotion Bureau that there is no clinical data in Sri Lanka or in the world to prove that food varieties have a direct link to childhood cancer.

 

He said chemical food preservatives can be harmful to the body but it is not proved by clinical data and added that the consumption of food varieties with chemical food preservatives can lead to cancer and non-communicable disease's in the long run.

 

"It takes a long time to cause cancer or non-communicable diseases due to food consumption. We must be exposed to such food varieties for a long time. So, childhood cancer has no direct link to food," he said responding to a question that there is a public notion that various food varieties with chemical food preservatives have resulted in childhood cancer.

 

Dr. Gunasekara said childhood cancer is more curable than adulthood cancer and that early diagnosis and proper treatment at the right time is crucial.