GENETIC EVIDENCE FOR LINK BETWEEN COSMIC RADIATION AND LEUKAEMIA IN AIRCREW (p 2158)
The association between exposure to cosmic radiation and leukaemia among aircrew is strengthened by genetic research published in this week's issue of THE LANCET. Previous research by Maryanne Gundestrup and colleagues from the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Copenhagen, Denmark (Radiation-induced acute myeloid leukaemia and other cancers in commercial jet cockpit crew: a population-based cohort study. Lancet 1999; 354: 2029-31) suggested an association between cosmic radiation exposure at high altitude and an increased risk of myeloid leukaemia among aircrew. A year later, the same group of investigators suggest that exposure to cosmic radiation may cause changes to chromosome 7, which i