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Objectives. Through a sister-university relationship between the University of Basrah and the University of Washington, we analyzed Ibn Ghazwan Hospital's leukemia registry data to evaluate trends in childhood leukemia since 1993. Methods. We documented leukemia cases among children aged 0 to 14 years for each of the last 15 years. Population data were obtained from a 1997 census and various subsequent estimates to calculate rates. Results. We observed 698 cases of childhood leukemia between 1993 and 2007, ranging between 15 cases (2.6 per 100000 annual rate) in the first year and 56 cases (6.9 per 100000 annual rate) in the final year, reaching a peak of 97 cases in 2006 (12.2 per 100000 annual rate). Conclusions. Childhood leukemia rates in Basrah more than doubled over a 15-year period. The test for trend was significant (P=.03). Basrah's childhood leukemia rate compared unfavorably with neighboring Kuwait and nearby Oman, as well as the United States, the European Union, and other countries. (Am J Public Health. 2010; 100:1081-1087. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.164236)

BACKGROUND: Incidence of childhood leukemia in industrialized countries rose significantly during 1975-2004, and the reasons for the increase are not understood. OBJECTIVES: We used carpet dust as an exposure indicator [...]

To learn more about the possible effects of radiation exposure on cancer rates, people living near six nuclear reprocessing plants in France were studied. Results from other studies showed a higher than expected mortality among people younger than 25 years from leukemia in some regions in Britain. In the French study, four geographical zones of increasing distance from the facility were defined; communes (administrative and electoral areas) were selected within zones as the unit of analysis. A 'control' commune of similar population was selected for each 'exposed' commune. Using death records (which included cause of death) from 1968 to 1987 for people younger than 25, two comparisons were made: between the observed mortality and the mortality expected from national rates; and between the areas near nuclear sites and control regions. Results showed that there were 58 leukemia deaths during the time studied in exposed areas, which was less than the 66.9 deaths expected from calculations of national mortality statistics. Leukemia deaths were not associated with proximity to a nuclear installation, in contrast to the British studies. Explanations for the difference in results are briefly evaluated. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Greek infants exposed to very low level intrauterine ionizing radiation from the Chernobyl accident, and those born to mothers in high radioactive regions show greater incidence and risk for leukemia. The former have 2.6 times higher incidence than the unexposed infants. Children aged 12 to 47 months fail to show such differences. Also, low level preconceptional radiation fails to alter the risk for leukemia.

Pre- and postnatal exposures, and genetic abnormalities account for most of the childhood leukaemia epidemiology. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and genetic abnormalities account for 5% of cases. In utero X-ray accounts for around 1% of cases. The biological, physical, chemical, and infectious agents also act as major risk factors. Data on survivors of Japanese bombings and Greek infants close to the Chernobyl accident area reveal that postnatal and prenatal background radiation, and in utero X-rays cause an increase in leukaemia. Eighty percent of the cases result from the defective position of 23 on the long arm of chromosome 11.

The disparity among several published research reports concerning the relationship between childhood cancer death and proximity to a nuclear installation is discussed. Studies from Britain have found an increased number of childhood leukemia cases near some installations, while a French study, reported in the October 25, 1990 issue of Nature, found no increase. Some reports show a positive effect on childhood death rates as a result of living near a nuclear facility; these results came from French and US researchers who compared community death rates before and after nuclear installations were built. The findings seem to be in conflict with the British reports. Another set of results adds to the interpretive confusion. In the work of Leo Kinlen, children up to age four in 'rural' New Towns (which contain people from diverse ethnic backgrounds) had a higher death rate from leukemia than children in 'overspill' New Towns (containing ethnically mixed populations). The density of preschool children was considerably higher in the rural Towns, and regions with the greatest density also had the greatest death rate. The patterns were interpreted to suggest that infection with a viral agent could underlie leukemia. Consistent with this theory, older children (between 5 and 24) had lower death rates from leukemia, indicating that they had been 'immunized' against the disease earlier in life. Another study in the US found an increased incidence of adult leukemia from 1978 to 1983 (but not afterwards) near 'the worst run' nuclear plant in the country, the Pilgrim plant, in Massachusetts. Studies at Sellafield, in Britain, also found a relationship between paternal radiation exposure and childhood leukemia. The data collected thus far remain to be interpreted in a way that is completely satisfactory. However, the infection hypothesis is becoming increasingly acceptable. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)