First Analysis of Mortality and Occupational Radiation Exposure based on the National Dose Registry of Canada

TLDR

A cohort mortality study of 206,620 workers monitored for radiation exposure from 1951 to 1983 was conducted using the National Dose Registry of Canada, with mortality follow‑up through December 31 1987. Overall standardized mortality ratio was 0.61, but mortality increased with cumulative whole‑body exposure, with cancer mortality rising and an excess relative risk of 3.0 % per 10 mSv for all cancers. Am J Epidemiol 1998;148:564–74.

Abstract

A cohort mortality study of occupational radiation exposure was conducted using the records of the National Dose Registry of Canada. The cohort consisted of 206,620 individuals monitored for radiation exposure between 1951 and 1983 with mortality follow-up through December 31, 1987. A total of 5,426 deaths were identified by computerized record linkage with the Canadian Mortality Data Base. The standardized mortality ratio for all causes of death was 0.61 for both sexes combined. However, trends of increasing mortality with cumulative exposure to whole body radiation were noted for all causes of death in both males and females. In males, cancer mortality appeared to increase with cumulative exposure to radiation, without any clear relation to specific cancers. Unexplained trends of increasing mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (males and females) and accidents (males only) were also noted. The excess relative risk for both sexes, estimated to be 3.0% per 10 mSv (90% confidence interval 1.1–4.8) for all cancers combined, is within the range of risk estimates previously reported in the literature. Am J Epidemiol 1998;148:564–74.