Key Issues
Radiation Standards and Organizations Provide Safety for Public and Workers
<< Previous
Study Finds Small Increase in Cancer Risk
The panel estimated that radiation exposure could be responsible for 1 percent to 2 percent of cancer deaths among nuclear workers. In other words, these workers may have a 1 percent to 2 percent increased risk of dying from cancer compared with non-nuclear workers.
The results confirm that current radiation protection standards keep workers safe. “We have provided radiation risk estimates from the largest study of nuclear workers conducted so far,” the panel wrote. “These estimates are higher than, but statistically compatible with, the current bases for radiation protection standards.”
Limitations of IARC Study
As the journal article noted, the IARC study had certain limitations. It did not consider the possible contribution to cancer risk from other factors, such as smoking or diet, because that information was not available.
The study results reflect earlier, less stringent radiation protection standards, as well as today’s standards. “Less than 5 percent of workers received cumulative doses of the order of [10,000 mrem] over their entire career and most of these doses were received in the early years of the industry, when protection standards were less stringent than today.”
Cancer mortality differed among the 15 countries, with Canada having the highest mortality. The panel could find nothing that might account for this. However, “[O]nly when we excluded Canada was the excess relative risk [of cancer mortality] no longer significantly different from zero,” the panel wrote. In other words, reviewing aggregated data from 14 of the 15 countries—including the United States—the study did not demonstrate an increased risk of cancer mortality for nuclear workers.
Study Finds Small Increase in Cancer Risk
The panel estimated that radiation exposure could be responsible for 1 percent to 2 percent of cancer deaths among nuclear workers. In other words, these workers may have a 1 percent to 2 percent increased risk of dying from cancer compared with non-nuclear workers.
The results confirm that current radiation protection standards keep workers safe. “We have provided radiation risk estimates from the largest study of nuclear workers conducted so far,” the panel wrote. “These estimates are higher than, but statistically compatible with, the current bases for radiation protection standards.”
Limitations of IARC Study
As the journal article noted, the IARC study had certain limitations. It did not consider the possible contribution to cancer risk from other factors, such as smoking or diet, because that information was not available.
The study results reflect earlier, less stringent radiation protection standards, as well as today’s standards. “Less than 5 percent of workers received cumulative doses of the order of [10,000 mrem] over their entire career and most of these doses were received in the early years of the industry, when protection standards were less stringent than today.”
Cancer mortality differed among the 15 countries, with Canada having the highest mortality. The panel could find nothing that might account for this. However, “[O]nly when we excluded Canada was the excess relative risk [of cancer mortality] no longer significantly different from zero,” the panel wrote. In other words, reviewing aggregated data from 14 of the 15 countries—including the United States—the study did not demonstrate an increased risk of cancer mortality for nuclear workers.
Next Page: "IARC Study Supports Current Standards" >>
