The Krummel (Germany) Childhood Leukaemia Cluster: a review and update

Grosche, B.; Kaatsch, P.; Heinzow, B. und Wichmann, H.-E. (2017): The Krummel (Germany) Childhood Leukaemia Cluster: a review and update. In: Journal of Radiological Protection, Bd. 37, Nr. 4: R43-R58

Abstract

The debate surrounding possible adverse health effects from the civil use of nuclear power under normal operating conditions has been on-going since its introduction. It was particularly intensified by the detection of three leukaemia clusters near nuclear installations, i.e. near the reprocessing plants in Sellafield and Dounreay, UK, and near the Krummel nuclear power plant, Germany, the last of which commenced between 1990 and 1991 and was first described in 1992;it continued until 2003, and an elevated risk up to 2005 has been reported in the literature. A number of expert commissions and working groups were set up by the governments of the German federal states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein to investigate the possible causes of the cluster. An overview of the many risk factors that were investigated as a possible explanation of the Krummel cluster is given here, focussing on radiation, but also including other risk factors. Further, results from related epidemiological and cytogenetic studies are described. In summary, the cause of the occurrence of the Krummel cluster has to be considered as unknown. Further research on the causes of childhood leukaemia is needed, focussing on epigenetics and on gene-environment interaction. An update of the leukaemia incidence around the Krummel site shows that the incidence rates are now comparable to the average rate in Germany.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0952-4746
• Sprache: Englisch