Childhood cancer and nuclear installations: a review

Many epidemiological studies of childhood cancer around nuclear installations have been conducted in recent years. This article reviews results from Great Britain and elsewhere. Geographical studies have indicated raised risks of childhood leukaemia around some British nuclear installations. However, environmental assessments suggest that the findings are unlikely to be due to radioactive releases from the sites. Case-control studies have allowed more detailed investigation of putative risk factors than is possible from geographical studies. In particular, a recent national study in Britain does not support the hypothesis raised by an earlier study in West Cumbria that paternal radiation exposure prior to conception may increase the risk of leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in offspring. Other studies suggest that childhood leukaemia may have an infective basis, although there is still uncertainty about whether this would explain the findings around nuclear installations. The UK Childhood Cancer Study may provide more information on the causes of these diseases. (author)