Establishing environmental causes of childhood cancer: a view from the IARC Monographs

Elisa Pasqual, Andrew Kunzmann, Julia Heck, Margaret R. Karagas, Mary K. Schubauer-Berigan

In 2025, the IARC Monographs programme identified two new modifiable potential causes of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, with limited evidence: automotive gasoline and human cytomegalovirus. Previously, for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia only one potential cause was identified (parental tobacco smoking, with limited evidence). The Monographs programme, throughout its history, has identified few o…