The UNR will investigate the relationship between childhood cancer and environmental factors

Researchers once again put water quality, the use of pesticides and air quality and their link with these pathologies under the magnifying glass. In addition, they will open a line of work on neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's

A network of six national universities, including the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (A R), will put under the magnifying glass over the next five years the relationship between key environmental factors, such as water quality, use of agrochemicals and living conditions, with the “Worrying” indicators of childhood mortality from cancer that Argentina and the Central Region have, as the doctor and researcher Alejandro Oliva. Meanwhile, among the population over 60 years of age, they will investigate, together with the Max Planck Institute of Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario, the intersection between these elements and degenerative diseases in that population, specifically Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Thus, the intersection of health and the environment will continue to be the focus of research conducted by national universities in Córdoba, Entre Ríos, and Santa Fe, which comprise the Inter-University Network on Environment and Health of the Central Region (Redinasce) . After completing the first phase, which focused on adult cancer indicators, congenital anomalies linked to water quality and arsenic levels, cultivated land, and the use of agrochemicals, as well as the population's living conditions, they announced this Friday the launch of a second phase of work extending until 2026.

In these early years, the results obtained already showed clear relationships between cancer mortality in men from the three provinces of the central region of the country and the development of cultivated areas, as well as in relation to poverty indicators . This was particularly evident in the prevalence of certain types of cancer, such as lung, pancreatic, and colon cancer.

In the same way that studies on water carried out on the water consumed by the population - mains water that reaches homes and is consumed by 70% of these populations - showed that the mortality rate is increased for men and women throughout throughout the 25 years that make up the period studied.

Childhood cancer, a priority
Oliva, in charge of Environment and Health Program of the UNR Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and research coordinator since 2016, pointed out that research in relation to childhood cancer "is a priority" and this was declared by the National Ministry of Health. "It happens that throughout the world mortality goes down, due to prevention and controls, but in Argentina at the lowest socioeconomic levels it has increased since 2010 and it is worrying", the doctor explained.

To that scenario, Oliva added that the Central Region "historically had rates higher than the national averages and Santa Fe is among the five provinces with the highest mortality rates ," which supports the decision to move forward from now on in the investigation of these indicators in a cross with environmental factors, as has already been done in adults.

The goal is first to map all 24 provinces and then focus on the central region of the country. They also face the challenge of obtaining "departmental data from each province to identify the areas at greatest risk ." Furthermore, the key, he added, will be to incorporate air quality into the factors already being studied—planted area, water quality, and socioeconomic level.

"The goal is to conduct a study specifically on air quality, which is one of the factors that has the greatest impact on environmental pollution, especially on children , who are more susceptible to this pollution, and also from the point of view of cancer," he anticipated.

Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
Neurodegenerative pathologies will also enter the network's research agenda in the coming years, specifically cases of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, which occur in populations over 60 years of age and of which "there are no clear records in Argentina", indicated Oliva.

The doctor explained that "there is no incidence data" for these diseases, so he announced that work will also be done on "the mortality rate, in these pathologies, is indirect."

"For at least 12 years, studies in Europe and the United States have shown links between these pathologies and environmental factors ," explained the researcher, who also emphasized the collaboration that will be maintained for this work with the Max Planck Institute, which is already carrying out work on these pathologies, primarily Parkinson's disease.

He made it clear that while there are developments in this area worldwide, "there are still no approaches of this type in the country ," he emphasized.