Residential exposure to natural background radiation at birth and risk of childhood acute leukemia in France, 1990–2009

The role of natural background radiation (NBR) in childhood acute leukemia (AL) remains unclear. Several large record based studies have recently reported heterogeneous results. Differences exposure assessment timing may explain this heterogeneity. In a previous ecological study we did not observe any association between AL incidence France and NBR at the time diagnosis. With same methodology, present focused on birth. Based data from French national registry cancer, analyzed all together, lymphoblastic myeloid AL, separately. We included 6,059 cases born diagnosed mainland 1990 2009. levels municipalities residence birth were estimated by cokriging models, using measurements precise geological data. rate ratio (IRR) per unit variation was with Poisson regression adjustment for socio-demographic indicators ultraviolet levels. exposures considered birth, cumulatively to also total dose red-bone marrow (RBM). There no evidence an incidence, neither overall (gamma radiation: IRR = 0.99 (0.94,1.05) 50 nSv/h; radon: 0.97 (0.91,1.03) 100 Bq/m3) nor main types. conclusions similar cumulative exposures, RBM dose. high quality data, numbers cases, validated models assessment. all, results further support hypothesis that are associated France.