Chernobyl to blame for the skyrocketing number of cancer cases

Rapidly growing number of cancer patients may in fact be the Chernobyl's aftereffect, scientists claim.

A new study suggests more than 800 people in northern Sweden developed cancer as a result of the radioactive fallout caused by the &to=http://english.pravda.ru/cis/2000/10/25/461.html' target=_blank>Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986.

Swedish scientists at Linkцping University said radio active emissions were carried by the wind to Sweden and heavy rain caused a large amount of Cesium-137 to fall on northern and central Sweden.

The Swedish study suggests a statistical correlation between the degree of fallout and an observed rise in the number of &to=http://english.pravda.ru/fun/2001/11/19/21384.html' target=_blank>cancer cases, reports Health Talk.

According to Washington Times, the scientists said the "Chernobyl effect" was the only likely explanation for 849 cancer cases they came across, the BBC reported Saturday.

However, their findings were met with skepticism from other experts who believe the radiation fallout in Sweden was not likely to cause a rise in cancer cases.