Discussion and summary

Abstract

The presentations at this workshop demonstrate that, while there have been tremendous strides in the ability to cure childhood leukaemias, the understanding of the genetic and environmental causes of this class of diseases is limited. The epidemiological and the molecular evidence all suggest that childhood leukaemia derives from a multistage process where the initial event starting the process is either inherited or the result of a DNA damaging event during gestation⁽¹⁾. From that initial event, the progression to disease has to occur fairly rapidly because the peak incidence occurs very early in life at around 1–3 y of age depending upon the type of leukaemia^(2,3). At later ages, the incidence drops off quite dramatically with a >90% smaller incidence beyond age 15.