Childhood cancer and nuclear installations

This article provides an overview of epidemiological studies of childhood leukaemia near nuclear installations around the UK and in other countries. It is concluded that while there do appear to be excesses of childhood leukaemia around some nuclear installations in the UK, the reason for them is not clear. Although Gardner suggested that the excess in Seascale could be explained by pre-conception irradiation of fathers working at Sellafield, this finding has not been replicated in studies elsewhere. (UK)