Cosmic radiation and cancer mortality among airline pilots: results from a European cohort study (ESCAPE)

I. Langner; M. Blettner; M. Gundestrup; H. Storm; R. Aspholm; A. Auvinen; E. Pukkala; G. P. Hammer; H. Zeeb; J. Hrafnkelsson; V. Rafnsson; H. Tulinius; G. De Angelis; A. Verdecchia; T. Haldorsen; U. Tveten; H. Eliasch†; N. Hammar; A. Linnersjö

doi:10.1007/s00411-003-0214-7

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics

February 2004, Volume 42, Issue 4, pp 247–256

Cosmic radiation and cancer mortality among airline pilots: results from a European cohort study (ESCAPE)

Authors
Authors and affiliations

I. LangnerEmail author
M. Blettner
M. Gundestrup
H. Storm
R. Aspholm
A. Auvinen
E. Pukkala
G. P. Hammer
H. Zeeb
J. Hrafnkelsson
V. Rafnsson
H. Tulinius
G. De Angelis
A. Verdecchia
T. Haldorsen
U. Tveten
H. Eliasch†
N. Hammar
A. Linnersjö

Original Paper

First Online:: 28 November 2003

Received:: 30 June 2003
Accepted:: 16 October 2003

DOI: 10.1007/s00411-003-0214-7

Cite this article as:: Langner, I., Blettner, M., Gundestrup, M. et al. Radiat Environ Biophys (2004) 42: 247. doi:10.1007/s00411-003-0214-7

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Abstract

Cosmic radiation is an occupational risk factor for commercial aircrews. In this large European cohort study (ESCAPE) its association with cancer mortality was investigated on the basis of individual effective dose estimates for 19,184 male pilots. Mean annual doses were in the range of 2–5 mSv and cumulative lifetime doses did not exceed 80 mSv. All-cause and all-cancer mortality was low for all exposure categories. A significant negative risk trend for all-cause mortality was seen with increasing dose. Neither external and internal comparisons nor nested case-control analyses showed any substantially increased risks for cancer mortality due to ionizing radiation. However, the number of deaths for specific types of cancer was low and the confidence intervals of the risk estimates were rather wide. Difficulties in interpreting mortality risk estimates for time-dependent exposures are discussed.

Abbreviations

CI: confidence interval
CLL: chronic lymphatic leukemia
RRC: radiation-related cancers
NRRC: non-radiation-related cancers
RR: relative risk
SMR: standardized mortality ratio

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Copyright information

Authors and Affiliations

I. Langner
- 1
Email author
M. Blettner
- 1
- 17
M. Gundestrup
- 2
H. Storm
- 3
R. Aspholm
- 4
A. Auvinen
- 5
- 6
E. Pukkala
- 7
G. P. Hammer
- 8
H. Zeeb
- 1
J. Hrafnkelsson
- 9
V. Rafnsson
- 10
H. Tulinius
- 11
G. De Angelis
- 12
A. Verdecchia
- 12
T. Haldorsen
- 13
U. Tveten
- 14
H. Eliasch†
- 15
N. Hammar
- 16
A. Linnersjö
- 16

1.School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Medical StatisticsUniversity of Bielefeld BielefeldGermany
2.Clinic of Aviation Medicine, Department 7522University HospitalCopenhagen NDenmark
3.Danish Cancer Society, Centre for Cancer DocumentationDepartment of Prevention and DocumentationCopenhagen OEDenmark
4.Finnish Airline Pilots’ AssociationVantaaFinland
5.Tampere School of Public HealthUniversity of Tampere TampereFinland
6.STUK Radiation and Nuclear Safety AuthorityHelsinkiFinland
7.Finnish Cancer RegistryLiisankatu 21BHelsinkiFinland
8.Department of Tropical Hygiene and Public HealthUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
9.LandspitalinnUniversity Hospital ReykjavikIceland
10.University of IcelandDepartment of Preventive MedicineReykjavikIceland
11.Icelandic Cancer Registry (ICE)ReykjavikIceland
12.Istituto Superiore di SanitàLaboratory of Epidemiology & Biostatistics RomeItaly
13.The Cancer Registry of NorwayMontebello OsloNorway
14.Institute for Energy Technology KjellerNorway
15.DjursholmSweden
16.Department of EpidemiologyKarolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
17.Institute of Medical Biometry Epidemiology and InformaticsJohannes-Gutenberg-University MainzMainzGermany

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Cosmic radiation and cancer mortality among airline pilots: results from a European cohort study (ESCAPE)

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