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Thyroid cancer prevalence not increased near nuclear power plants
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In the area near nuclear power plants in Belgium, there is no evidence of increased thyroid cancer incidence, according to recent findings. However, there was a higher-than-anticipated incidence of thyroid cancers near facilities that housed both nuclear research and industrial activity.
The researchers analyzed data obtained from a nationwide epidemiological study conducted by the Belgian Scientific Institute of Public Health in conjunction with the Belgian Cancer Registry and the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control. The study was aimed at evaluating the health risks related to living in proximity to nuclear sites in Belgium.
The study investigators obtained data on all-ages thyroid cancer incidence for the 589 communes in Belgium, which are divided into the Flemish (n=308), Walloon (n=262) and Brussels-Capital (n=19) regions. This data included information about the incidence year and the place of residence at the time of cancer diagnosis. Population data was grouped by 5-year age group and commune of residence.
The nuclear facilities included in the study included four Belgian civil nuclear sites designated as Class 1 (having the highest radiological risk) and the nuclear facility of Chooz, located in France about 3 km from the Belgian border.
The area considered in proximity to the sites is generally categorized as a circular zone of a 20-km radius centered on the site. However, because the researchers considered this delineation to be arbitrary, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effects of using radii of increasing closeness.
The researchers found no increase in thyroid cancer prevalence within the 20 km area surrounding the nuclear plants of Doel (standard incidence ratio [SIR]=0.74; 95% CI, 0.64-0.84; and RR=0.72; 95% CI, 0.63-0.83). For the facilities at Mol-Dessel and Fleurus, where combined nuclear research and industrial work is based, the prevalence of thyroid cancer within the 20 km proximity region were higher than anticipated (Mol-Dessel: SIR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.01-1.36; and RR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.38; Fleurus: SIR=1.15; 95% CI, 1.02-1.28; and RR=1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33). For the site at Chooz, which is bordered Belgium in France, the results were not clear due to a small population denominator. The choice of proximity zone did not appear to yield variations in the results in the sensitivity analysis.
According to the researchers, the increased prevalence of thyroid cancer in the areas where both nuclear research and industrial activity were conducted warrants further research into site-specific activities.
“As the increased thyroid cancer incidences were observed around the two nuclear sites with research and industrial activities and not around the [nuclear power plants], it could be hypothesized that these differences are associated with differences in exposure or risk between the two types of sites,” the researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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