Association of Nuclear Fallout with Leukemia in the United States

Abstract

The world population has been exposed to low levels of fission products from nuclear testing. Has this had any health effects? Six different epidemiological associations are demonstrated between leukemia and nuclear fallout in the general population. The strongest association is with acute and myeloid types of leukemia among children. They peaked at approximately 5.5 yr (among 5–9 yr olds) after the peaks in fallout. The entire United States population exhibited an increasing leukemia rate during and for several years after the open air nuclear testing and fell sharply thereafter. Regional differences in leukemia rates correspond to a composite exposure index that used ⁹⁰Sr concentrations in food, cow's milk, and human bone. The calculated leukemia risk per rad for children was similar to that calculated for Japanese A-bomb children survivors.