Analysis of incidence of childhood cancer in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom in relation to proximity to main roads and petrol stations.

Abstract

Objectives-To investigate whether there is an excess of leukaemias in 0-15 year old children among those living in close proximity (within 100 m) of a main road or petrol station. Methods-Data for 0-15 year old children diagnosed between 1990 and 1994 in the United Kingdom West Midlands were used. Postcode addresses were used to locate the point of residence which was compared with proximity to main roads and petrol stations separately, and to both together. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with solid tumours as a control, and incidence ratios (IRs) with population density as a control. Results-The method based on solid tumours as a control showed ORs of 1.61 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.90 to 2.87) and 1.99 (95% CI 0.73 to 5.43), for those living within 100 m of a main road or petrol station respectively. When population was used as a control, the estimated IRs for leukaemia were 1.16 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.72) and 1.48 (95% CI 0.65 to 2.93) for residence within 100 m of a main road or petrol station respectively, but neither reached significance at the 95% level. Results for residence in close proximity to both a main road and petrol station were inconsistent, but there were few. The influence of socioeconomic factors as represented by the Townsend deprivation index on leukaemia incidence was not significant and the results were not explicable on the basis of impact of social class. Conclusions-The results are suggestive of a small increase in risk of childhood leukaemia, but not solid tumours, for those living in close proximity to a main road or petrol station. This increase in risk is not, however, significant and a larger study is warranted to establish the true risk and causes of any increase in risk. (Occup Environ Med 1999;56:774-780)

Traffic density in California: Socioeconomic and ethnic differences among potentially exposed children

“…Elevated risks of childhood cancer were associated with several surrogate measures of vehicle exhaust exposure, including traffic volume, car density, estimated concentration of nitrogen dioxide in outdoor air and proximity to sources of vehicle exhaust (Savitz and Feingold, 1989;Knox and Gilman, 1997;Nordlinder and Jarvholm, 1997;Feychting et al, 1998;Harrison et al, 1999;Pearson et al, 2000). Recent studies in California evaluating childhood cancer and traffic density have generally found no association (Reynolds et al, 2001;Langholz et al, 2002;Reynolds et al, 2002).…”

Childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in relation to proximity to railways

“…However, because of the study design, the cases were more mobile than controls and full adjustment for this bias is difficult to achieve. Harrison et al (1999) found a nonsignificant excess of leukaemia among children living within 100 m of a main road or petrol station. Best et al (2001), using different methods from ours and a range of models, found a consistent positive association between risk of childhood leukaemia and atmospheric benzene levels in Greater London in the years 1985 -1996, the areas with highest risk being clustered in Inner London.…”

Report of Workshop on Traffic, Health, and Infrastructure Planning

“…29,30 However, studies of other health outcomes, such as asthma hospitalizations and medication use and risk for various cancers, have provided less consistent evidence. [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] Evidence also suggests that traffic density 49 and traffic proximity 50 may be linked to adverse preterm birth outcomes.…”