Indoor radon and childhood leukaemia

Abstract

This paper summarises the epidemiological literature on domestic exposure to radon and risk for childhood leukaemia. The results of 12 ecological studies show a consistent pattern of higher incidence and mortality rates for childhood leukaemia in areas with higher average indoor radon concentrations. Although the results of such studies are useful to generate hypotheses, they must be interpreted with caution, as the data were aggregated and analysed for geographical areas and not for individuals. The seven available case-control studies of childhood leukaemia with measurement of radon concentrations in the residences of cases and controls gave mixed results, however, with some indication of a weak (relative risk < 2) association with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The epidemiological evidence to date suggests that an association between indoor exposure to radon and childhood leukaemia might exist, but is weak. More case-control studies are needed, with sufficient statistical power to detect weak associations and based on designs and methods that minimise misclassification of exposure and provide a high participation rate and low potential selection bias.

Spatial clustering and space–time clusters of leukemia among children in Germany, 1987–2007

“…As infections and most of the environmental agents possibly related to the risk of childhood leukemia, like ionizing radiation due to domestic exposure to radon [25], air pollutants [26] or pesticides [27], are spatially heterogeneously distributed, it is conceivable that childhood leukemia also shows a tendency to spatial clustering with a temporal component. Thus, spatial and space-time analysis of the distribution of childhood leukemia might give a hint to environmental agent(s), possibly infections, which are involved in the etiology of the disease.…”

Is there any interaction between domestic radon exposure and air pollution from traffic in relation to childhood leukemia risk?

“…Geographical correlations between residential radon and childhood leukemia have been shown in several studies [1,2]. We have previously reported that domestic radon exposure is significantly associated with the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia [3].…”

“…The case-control study design has previously been described in detail [1]. In the present study, we included children (below age 15 years) registered in the Danish Cancer Registry [14] from 1968 to 1994 with a diagnosis of leukemia, and two control children matched individually by sex and birthday.…”

The Epidemiology of Childhood Cancers

“…70 Another study from Denmark suggested that domestic radon exposure increases the risk of ALL. 71 By contrast, most recent studies have found no associations with domestic exposure to gamma radiation.…”