The incidence of childhood Leukaemia in West Berkshire

This paper gives an overview of local work on the incidence of childhood leukaemia in West Berkshire since 1971. The most recently published figures show that between 1972–96, a total of 106 children contracted leukaemia when 81 cases would have been expected in the under 14s. Within ten kilometres of the nuclear establishments at Aldermaston and Burghfield, the risk of a child getting leukaemia, which is very small (400 children a year in the UK) is none the less doubled in under‐fives meaning that one more child a year is affected. There is also an increased incidence of all cancers in this age group and geographical area. Theories as to why this should be abound, but until the cause of cancer is fully understood, and what the part of radiation in the process could be, no firm measures can be taken to redress the balance.

Key Words:

• Childhood leukaemia
• Nuclear establishments
• Radiation
• West Berkshire

Notes

The Alice Stewart Lecture given to the 15th Low Level Radiation Conference, Leighton Park, Reading, 15 July 2000.