ReviewEcancermedicalscience2026
Water pollution and childhood leukaemia risk: a systematic review.
Review in Ecancermedicalscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Water pollution represents a major global health concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries where toxic metals (TMs) and pesticides can contaminate drinking water through industrial, agricultural and urban activities. Children are particularly susceptible due to their developing physiology and higher water intake relative to body weight. This review aims to explore the association between exposure to TMs and pesticides in drinking water and the risk of childhood leukaemia (CL), highlighting the broader significance for environmental health and child safety. A structured search in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar (2001-2024) identified studies on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or acute myeloid leukaemia in individuals under 20 years of age, assessing exposure to trace metals or pesticides via drinking water. Observational designs were included, excluding studies unrelated to water exposure or lacking paediatric data. Records were screened and reviewed independently by four authors. Findings were heterogeneous, with several studies suggesting potential links between specific contaminants like arsenic, hexavalent chromium, pentachlorophenol and certain pesticides and an increased risk of leukaemia in children, while others found no significant associations and noted methodological challenges such as small sample sizes and difficulties in exposure measurement. Although current evidence remains inconclusive regarding a direct causal relationship, this review underscores the need for rigorous, long-term research to clarify the role of waterborne pollutants in CL and to guide public health strategies.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.