Analyses of childhood cancers in Corby
We have published the findings of two detailed and independent analyses into childhood cancer rates in Corby.
The work was completed in response to concerns raised by local families, who feared that more children in the area were being diagnosed with cancer than expected.
The findings were independently reviewed by experts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the analysis of HES data was validated by analysts within the NHS to ensure accuracy
Overview report
Council analysis
One of the analyses was carried out by the council’s analysts using Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and the other completed independently by the National Disease Registration Service.
Concerns from residents centred on whether historic industrial activity, including the former steelworks and waste disposal at Deene Quarry, could be linked to cancer rates among local children.
The Director of Public Health (DPH) has a duty to investigate any potential risks to the health of the population and therefore requested a full analysis using NHS data available to the council through an established data sharing agreement.
NDRS analysis
Alongside our own work, analysts from the National Disease Registration Service were asked to undertake a separate analysis of cancer registration data (considered the most complete and accurate dataset available), including a specific assessment of the area within 5km of Deene Quarry.
Conclusions
The analyses concluded:
- childhood cancer rates in Corby are not higher than in Northamptonshire, the East Midlands or England
- no Corby neighbourhoods (broken down into what are called lower super output areas) had significantly higher rates than the North Northamptonshire average
Raw data
We published reports that describe two analyses:
- one of these used Hospital Episode Statistics data and was completed by the council
- the other used National Cancer Registration data and was completed by the National Disease Registration Service
For the analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data, the raw patient records were accessed through a data sharing agreement with NHS England. This explicitly states that we cannot share this data with a third party. We must adhere to that agreement.
We can’t share counts of cases at Local Super Output Area level as they are so low. The NHS places important rules around sharing NHS data when counts are very low, because doing so can identify individuals. We must adhere to these rules.
The council must ensure that personal data is kept secure and is processed fairly and lawfully. Disclosing the raw data would breach the principles of GDPR. The Information Commissioner’s Office will expect the council to uphold the highest standards when dealing with the security and protection of personal data
We do not have access to any of the data used by the National Disease Registry Service in the analysis they completed.
However, they would also need to adhere to very strict and important rules around who gets access to this sensitive and identifiable information, and they would not be able to share this with a third party.
Deene Quarry
The analysis does not only focus on Deene Quarry.
Both analyses included data for all areas of Corby. It has been suggested in some press articles and queries that there was a focus on Deene Quarry, and that other areas within Corby were not included, and this is not factually correct
The analysis done by the National Disease Registration Service used cancer registration data for children living in any part of Corby who were added to the cancer register in the period 2013 to 2022. A rate was calculated for children living in all areas that lie within a 5km perimeter of Deene Quarry.
Rates were also calculated for children living in any area within the rest of Corby and then for:
- Northamptonshire as a whole
- the East Midlands
- England
The rate in the 5km area around Deene Quarry and the rate in the rest of Corby were both lower than they were for Northamptonshire, the East Midlands and England, but this difference was not statistically significant.
Looking at all areas that are within a 5km perimeter of Deene Quarry is linked to the methodology that the National Disease Registration Service use for their analysis. They ask for an area that is then used for comparison purposes, and Deene Quarry and surrounding areas were chosen, as Deene Quarry is the site where waste from the steel works reclamation was disposed of.
It is also important to note that all areas within the 5km perimeter were included in the analysis. We have received queries that seem to suggest that areas such as Rockingham and Stanion were not included in the analysis, but this is not the case.
The analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data also included children from all areas of Corby. We presented the number of cases for Corby overall and the rate for Corby overall, as well as rates per 100,000 person years for all the Lower Super Output Areas within Corby.
This analysis had no particular focus on Deene Quarry and reported that the rate of childhood cancers in Corby was no higher than rates for North Northamptonshire as a whole, or for the legacy areas of:
- Kettering
- Wellingborough
- East Northamptonshire
None of the small areas within Corby (Local Super Output Areas) had a rate that was statistically significantly higher than the average rate for North Northamptonshire.
Last updated 04 March 2026