1. External radiation exposure and mortality in a cohort of French nuclear workers
- Author
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J. M. Gelas, Catherine Hill, Denis Bard, B. Quesne, Margot Tirmarche, J.M. Giraud, M. Telle-Lamberton, C. Metz-Flamant, D. Bergot, E. Samson, Francis Bermann, M.O. Neron, Sylvaine Caer, Philippe Hubert, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Groupe AREVA, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Laboratoire d'épidémiologie des rayonnements ionisants (LEPID), Service de biostatistique et d'épidémiologie (SBE), Direction de la recherche clinique [Gustave Roussy], Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR)-Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR), Laboratoire d épidémiologie des rayonnements ionisants (IRSN/PSE-SANTE/SESANE/LEPID), Service de recherche sur les effets biologiques et Sanitaires des rayonnements ionisants (IRSN/PSE-SANTE/SESANE), and Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN)-Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN)
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nuclear power plant ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,pharynx cancer ,radiation exposure ,030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging ,Cohort Studies ,cause of death ,0302 clinical medicine ,Nuclear Reactors ,Medicine ,Melanoma ,Cause of death ,education.field_of_study ,Leukemia ,adult ,Mortality rate ,article ,X ray ,3. Good health ,Occupational Diseases ,female ,priority journal ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Cohort ,symbols ,Original Article ,France ,Multiple Myeloma ,chronic lymphatic leukemia ,radiation injury ,Cohort study ,alcohol psychosis ,alcohol consumption ,liver cirrhosis ,Population ,03 medical and health sciences ,symbols.namesake ,male ,Statistical significance ,Occupational Exposure ,controlled study ,human ,Poisson regression ,education ,Radiometry ,business.industry ,gamma radiation ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Nuclear Energy ,major clinical study ,mortality ,Relative risk ,business ,Nuclear medicine ,worker ,Demography - Abstract
Objective: To analyse the effect of external radiation exposure on the mortality of French nuclear workers. Methods: A cohort of 29 204 workers employed between 1950 and 1994 at the French Atomic Energy Commission (Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (CEA)) or at the General Company of Nuclear Fuel (COmpagnie GEnerale des MAtieres nucleaires (Cogema, now Areva NC)) was followed up for an average of 17.8 years. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed with reference to French mortality rates. Dose-effect relationship were analysed through trend tests and Poisson regression, with linear and log-linear models. Results: The mean exposure to X and gamma radiation was 8.3 mSv (16.9 mSv for exposed worker population). A total of 1842 deaths occurred between 1968 and 1994. A healthy worker effect was observed, the number of deaths in the cohort being 59% of the number expected from national mortality statistics. Among the 21 main cancer sites studied, a statistically significant excess was observed only for skin melanoma, and an excess of borderline statistical significance was observed for multiple myeloma. A dose-effect relationship was observed for leukaemia after exclusion of chronic lymphoid leukaemia (CLL). The relative risk observed for non-CLL leukaemia, n = 20, was 4.1 per 100 mSv (90% CI 1.4 to 12.2), linear model and 2.2 per 100 mSv (90% CI 1.2 to 3.3), log-linear model. Significant dose-effect relationship were also observed for causes of deaths associated with alcohol consumption: mouth and pharynx cancer, cirrhosis and alcoholic psychosis and external causes of death. Conclusion: The risk of leukaemia increases with increasing exposure to external radiation; this is consistent with published results on other nuclear workers cohorts.
- Published
- 2007
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