Deadly pediatric cancer can be prevented through maternal diet

Neuroblastoma, the second most common pediatric tumor, develops in the fetus and is diagnosed in infancy. Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (Ontario, Canada) and the University of Toronto, noting the decreasing incidence of neuroblastoma in Ontario, decided to investigate. They found that the decrease in tumors was directly related to the Canadian government's mandatory folic acid food fortification program, which began in 1997. "Our research indicates that this is the first pediatric cancer that can be prevented through maternal diet," stated Dr. Gideon Koren, principal investigator for the study, in a printed interview.