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Problems And Paradigms: Ionising radiations from nuclear establishments and childhood leukaemias – an enigma
Author(s) -
Evans H. J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.950121108
Subject(s) - ionizing radiation , childhood leukaemia , nuclear power , incidence (geometry) , biology , genetics , medicine , irradiation , pediatrics , physics , nuclear physics , ecology , optics
The Gardner report, recently published in the UK, showing a correlation between incidence of childhood leukaemia and paternal exposure to ionising radiations (amongst fathers working in nuclear power plants) has added a new element to debates about both the risk factors in nuclear power plants and the relationships between ionising radiations and leukaemogenesis. The epidemiologic and genetic evidence concerning leukaemias is reviewed here and it is concluded that the leukaemogenic agent, whose existence is indicated in the Gardner report, is unlikely to be paternal radiation dose per se but rather exposure to another factor that is correlated with paternal radiation dose received.