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British Journal of Cancer (2004) 91, 916 922& 2004 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved 0007 0920/04 $30.00www.bjcancer.comIncidence of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of nuclear sites in
France, 19901998ML White-Koning1, D Hemon1, D Laurier2, M Tirmarche2, E Jougla3, A Goubin1 and J Clavel*,11Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale INSERM U170-IFR69, 16 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94807 Villejuif Cedex, France;2Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, IRSN/DRPH/SRBE-LePID, Fontenay aux Roses, France; 3Institut National de la Sante et de la
Recherche Medicale INSERM-CepiDc-IFR69, Le Vesinet, FranceEpidemiology[notdef]
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[notdef]Overall, 670 cases (O) of childhood leukaemia were diagnosed within 20 km of the 29 French nuclear installations between 1990 and
1998 compared to an expected number (E) of 729.09 cases (O/E 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.850.99]). Each of the
four areas defined around the sites showed non significant deficits of cases (05 km: O 65, O/E 0.87, CI [0.671.10]; 510 km:
O 165, O/E 0.95, CI [0.81 1.10]; 1015 km: O 220, O/E 0.88, CI [0.771.00]; 1520 km: O 220, O/E 0.96,
CI [0.84 1.10]). There was no evidence of a trend in standardised incidence ratio with distance from the sites for all children or for
any of the three age groups studied. Similar results were obtained when the start-up year of the electricity-generating nuclear sites
and their electric nuclear power were taken into account. No evidence was found of a generally increased risk of childhood leukaemia
around the 29 French nuclear sites under study during 19901998.British Journal of Cancer (2004) 91, 916922. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602068 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 27 July 2004& 2004 Cancer Research UKKeywords: childhood leukaemia; nuclear sites; incidenceReports of an increased incidence of leukaemia among young
people living near the nuclear site of Sellafield lead to an extensive
investigation of this area (COMARE, 1996) and the sites of
Dounreay (COMARE, 1988), Aldermaston and Burghfield (COMARE, 1989), 20 years ago. Radiological studies showed that the
levels of radioactivity in these areas were far below those necessary
to account for the observed excesses (Dionan et al,...