NH has highest rate of pediatric cancer in U.S.

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New Hampshire has the highest rate of pediatric cancer in the U.S. 

The report looked at the incidence of cancer in residents under age twenty from 2003 through 2014.

New England overall had relatively high rates. Maine ranked 4th, Connecticut 7th, Massachusetts 11th, Rhode Island 28th, and Vermont 34th. Mississippi had the lowest pediatric cancer rate in the U.S.

According to the CDC, pediatric cancer rates might vary due to differences in exposure to carcinogenic chemicals (e.g. drinking water pollution), genetic variation, and access to health care (including earlier detection).

Pediatric cancer has received more attention in New Hampshire since the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) identified a “cancer cluster” of rare pediatric cancers on the seacoast. DHHS did not find a common exposure linking the children, but some Seacoast residents believe perfluroinated chemicals (PFCs) are to blame.

Learn more about PFC contamination in New Hampshire

While New Hampshire has a high rate of pediatric cancer, another recent ranking placed New Hampshire 2nd in the United States for the overall health of children. 

Do you have an opinion on the pediatric cancer rate in New Hampshire? Share your thoughts in the comments below.