Childhood Cancer Near German Nuclear Power Stations

Abstract

In 2008, the Kinderkrebs in der Umgebung von Kernkraftwerken (KiKK) study in Germany reported a 60% increase in solid cancers and a 120% increase in leukemias among children living within 5 km of all German nuclear power stations. The study has triggered debates as to the cause(s) of these increased cancers. This article reports on the findings of the KiKK study; discusses past and more recent epidemiological studies of leukemias near nuclear installations around the world, and outlines a possible biological mechanism to explain the increased cancers. This suggests that the observed high rates of infant leukemias may be a teratogenic effect from radionuclides incorporated by pregnant women living near nuclear reactors. Doses and risks from environmental emissions to embryos and fetuses may be larger than suspected. Hematopoietic tissues appear to be considerably more radiosensitive in embryos/fetuses than in newborn babies. Recommendations for advice to local residents and for further research are made.

Keywords:

• cancer
• carbon-14
• congenital malformations
• discharges
• embryo
• emissions
• fetus
• leukemia
• nuclear power stations
• radiation
• radioactivity
• radionuclides
• relative risk
• tritium

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Dr Fairlie would like to thank Dr A Körblein for his invaluable help in commenting upon the text of this manuscript and in translating a number of German reports.

Notes

∗ the internal nuclides studied by Fucic et al were mainly ^99m Tc and ¹³¹I.

^† hematopoiesis—sometimes termed hemopoiesis—is the formation of blood cellular components.