As part of ongoing research into the health effects of exposure to radiation, a new study is being carried out to investigate lung cancer risk and leukaemia risk among European Union nuclear workers exposed to internally deposited radionuclides.

The study, being part funded by the European Union is being carried out by the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, CREAL, based at the University of Barcelona. The study will investigate in detail the risk of lung cancer and leukaemia in relation to internal exposure to uranium and plutonium among workers in the European nuclear industry. It is a multi-national case-control study involving data from workers in France, Belgium and the UK. In the UK, AWE, UKAEA, Sellafield Ltd, LLWR Ltd and Springfields Fuels Ltd are part of the study.

Information will be collected from industry records on employment, radiation exposure, smoking and medical x-rays (from occupational health records,) by data collection teams under the direction of the company’s occupational health departments.

Full ethical approval for the work has been obtained from the relevant medical committees and will be carried out under the normal requirements of medical confidentiality to which all medical and statistical personnel are bound to conform. No approach will be made to any individual for information, and in carrying out the study and reporting the results, confidentiality and anonymity will be preserved.

However it is recognised that individuals may not wish to have their records examined. Therefore, AWE, UKAEA and workers currently employed at the former BNFL sites are being given the opportunity for their information not to be used in this study. If you do not wish your information to be used in this study, will you please write to

The Company Chief Medical Officer, B405, Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1PG.

You should quote your full name, date of birth, National Insurance Number and telephone number. Your letter should be marked Personal in Confidence and
should arrive before 30th June 2009. An acknowledgement will be sent.