Hypothesis to explain childhood cancer near nuclear power plants

As reported in this journal in 2009, the 2008 KiKK study in Germany found a 60% increase in all cancers and a 120% increase in leukemias among children living within 5 km of all German nuclear power stations. The KiKK study has triggered debates as to the cause(s) of these increased cancers. This article discusses the available evidence of leukemias near nuclear installations around the world. Over 60 epidemiological studies exist, the large majority of which indicate increases in leukemia incidence. The article also outlines a possible biological mechanism to explain the increased cancers, suggesting that doses from environmental nuclear power plant emissions to embryos/ fetuses in pregnant women near the plants may be larger than suspected, and that hemopoietic tissues may be considerably more radiosensitive in embryos/ fetuses than in newborn babies. The article concludes with recommendations for further research.