Title: Radiation Effects on Mortality from Solid Cancers Other than Lung, Liver, and Bone Cancer in the Mayak Worker Cohort: 1948–2008

Abstract

Radiation effects on mortality from solid cancers other than lung, liver, and bone cancer in the Mayak worker cohort: 1948–2008. The cohort of Mayak Production Association (PA) workers in Russia offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of prolonged low dose rate external gamma exposures and exposure to plutonium in a working age population. We examined radiation effects on the risk of mortality from solid cancers excluding sites of primary plutonium deposition (lung, liver, and bone surface) among 25,757 workers who were first employed in 1948–1982. During the period 1948–2008, there were 1,825 deaths from cancers other than lung, liver and bone. Using colon dose as a representative external dose, a linear dose response model described the data well. The excess relative risk per Gray for external gamma exposure was 0.16 (95% CI: 0.07 – 0.26) when unadjusted for plutonium exposure and 0.12 (95% CI 0.03 – 0.21) when adjusted for plutonium dose and monitoring status. There was no significant effect modification by sex or attained age. Plutonium exposure was not significantly associated with the group of cancers analyzed after adjusting for monitoring status. Site-specific risks were uncertainly estimated but positive for 13 of the 15 sites evaluated withmore » a statistically significant estimate only for esophageal cancer. Comparison with estimates based on the acute exposures in atomic bomb survivors suggests that the excess relative risk per Gray for prolonged external exposure in Mayak workers may be lower than that for acute exposure but, given the uncertainties, the possibility of equal effects cannot be dismissed.« less

Authors:

Sokolnikov, Mikhail ^[1]; Preston, Dale ^[2]; Gilbert, Ethel ^[3]; Schonfeld, Sara ^[4]; Koshurnikova, Nina ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Southern Urals Biophysics Inst., Ozyorsk (Russian Federation). Lab. of Epidemiology
2. Hirosoft International, Eureka, CA (United States)
3. National Cancer Inst., Bethesda, MD (United States). Radiation Epidemiology Branch. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
4. National Cancer Inst., Bethesda, MD (United States). Radiation Epidemiology Branch. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics; International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon (France). Section of Environment and Radiation

Publication Date:

2015-02-26

Research Org.:

Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Hirosoft International, Eureka, CA (United States); National Cancer Inst., Bethesda, MD (United States); Southern Urals Biophysics Inst., Ozyorsk (Russian Federation)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (AU); National Inst. of Health (NIH) (United States); Russian Federal Government

OSTI Identifier:

1627746

Grant/Contract Number:  

HS0000091; HHSN261200900090C

Resource Type:

Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

PLoS ONE

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 10; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1932-6203

Publisher:

Public Library of Science

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; plutonium; public and occupational health; colon; alcohol consumption; death rates; cancer risk factors; liver; radiation effects