- COMARE 14th Report: response to comments received
- COMARE 14th Report: Further consideratin of the incidence of childhood leukaemia around nuclear power plants in Great Britain
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COMARE 14th Report: Further consideration of the incidence of childhood leukaemia around nuclear power plants in Great Britain
Childhood leukaemia is a rare disease, affecting approximately 500 children every year in the UK. Nevertheless there have been numerous studies and reports on the possible risks of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of nuclear power plants and other nuclear installations. The aim of this report was to undertake a further review of the incidence of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of nuclear power plants (NPPs) specifically in Great Britain, with particular reference to recent publications and studies from other countries and taking into account the conclusions in the tenth and eleventh COMARE reports (which consider the period 1969-1993).
COMARE presents a new geographical data analysis on the incidence of leukaemia in children under 5 years of age, living in the vicinity of 13 NPPs. It uses cancer registration data for Great Britain for the extended period 1969 to 2004.
The report also considers additional factors not addressed in previous COMARE reports, which may account for differences in leukaemia risks in studies from other countries. The report investigates the pathology of childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkins lymphoma cases in the vicinity of British NPPs. It also describes the cancer registries of several European countries, the types of reactors used in those countries, the radioactive discharges associated with the reactor types and the consequent assessed radiation doses to the general population.
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