Childhood cancer and nuclear power plants in Switzerland: a census-based cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies on childhood cancer and nuclear power plants (NPPs) produced conflicting results. We used a cohort approach to examine whether residence near NPPs was associated with leukaemia or any childhood cancer in Switzerland.

Methods

We computed person-years at risk for children aged 0-15 years born in Switzerland from 1985 to 2009, based on the Swiss censuses 1990 and 2000 and identified cancer cases from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry. We geo-coded place of residence at birth and calculated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing the risk of cancer in children born <5 km, 5-10 km and 10-15 km from the nearest NPP with children born >15 km away, using Poisson regression models.

Results

We included 2925 childr

SUBMITTER: Spycher BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3204210 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature