Year: 1999
Type: article
Abstract: Accepted for publication 16 September 1998 In 1985 a paper in this journal analysed an apparent cluster of multiple myeloma in South Cumbria, England.1 The study was prompted by reports of seven cases of multiple myeloma in Walney Island. This is a small community adjacent to a shipyard that builds nuclear sub marines and is 15 miles away from Sellafield Nuclear Processing Plant. These seven cases occurred over seven year time period 1974-1980, during which only 2.8 cases would have been expected on Poisson assump tions (p = 0.02). Because of problems of post hoc cluster definition, we studied inci dence of multiple myeloma across health district of South Cumbria. Using a case control method no excess of known or possible risk factors were found to account for this high incidence and we concluded that the most likely explanation is that this was a random occurrence which will not persist or recur. We now present data that test this explanation.
Authors: R. Maheswaran, R. A. Arnold, E. G. Jessop
Institutions: St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London
Language: English
Subfield: Hematology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1963484336