Update of epidemiologic studies of plutonium-workers

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198306001-00048· OSTI ID:5528938

Voelz, G L; Wilkinson, G S; Acquavella, J F; Tietjen, G L; Brackbill, R M; Reyes, M; Wiggs, L D

Retrospective and prospective epidemiologic studies are being conducted as part of a national survey of plutonium workers at four Department of Energy facilities (Los Alamos, NM; Rocky Flats, CO; Mound Laboratory, OH; and Savannah River, SC). A preliminary analysis of mortality was done for all white males who have worked at the Rocky Flats Plant during the period 1952 to 1979. The 452 observed deaths were significantly fewer than the 831 expected for all causes. The 107 deaths due to all malignant neoplasms were also significantly fewer than the 167 expected from these diseases. Expected deaths were derived from age and calendar-specific death rates for US white males. Deaths reported for benign and unspecified neoplasms numbered eight versus an expected two, a significant elevation. These tumors, all intracranial, are the subject of a case-control study to be reported later. Subdividing the cohort on the basis of plutonium exposures and external radiation exposures results in similar overall findings. The benign and unspecified neoplasms, however, were not significantly high in the plutonium-exposed group.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5528938
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-82-123; CONF-8110126-4; ON: DE82010414; TRN: 82-008973
• Resource Relation: Journal Volume: 44; Conference: International meeting on the radiobiology of radium and actinides in man, Lake Geneva, WI, USA, 12 Oct 1981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
MORTALITY
EPIDEMIOLOGY
PERSONNEL
ROCKY FLATS PLANT
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MEN
NEOPLASMS
PLUTONIUM
STATISTICS
TABLES
ACTINIDES
ANIMALS
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DISEASES
ELEMENTS
INFORMATION
MALES
MAMMALS
MAN
MATHEMATICS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PRIMATES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERTEBRATES
560151* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man
054000 - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety