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External radiation dose and cancer mortality among French nuclear workers: considering potential confounding by internal radiation exposure

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Abstract

Objectives

French nuclear workers have detailed records of their occupational exposure to external radiation that have been used to examine associations with subsequent cancer mortality. However, some workers were also exposed to internal contamination by radionuclides. This study aims to assess the potential for bias due to confounding by internal contamination of estimates of associations between external radiation exposure and cancer mortality.

Methods

A cohort of 59,004 workers employed for at least 1 year between 1950 and 1994 by CEA (Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique), AREVA NC, or EDF (Electricité de France) and badge-monitored for external radiation exposure were followed through 2004 to assess vital status and cause of death. A flag based on a workstation–exposure matrix defined four levels of potential for internal contamination. Standardized mortality ratios were assessed for each level of the internal contamination indicator. Poisson regression was used to quantify associations between external radiation exposure and cancer mortality, adjusting for potential internal contamination.

Results

For solid cancer, the mortality deficit tended to decrease as the levels of potential for internal contamination increased. For solid cancer and leukemia excluding chronic lymphocytic leukemia, adjusting the dose–response analysis on the internal contamination indicator did not markedly change the excess relative risk per Sievert of external radiation dose.

Conclusions

This study suggests that in this cohort, neglecting information on internal dosimetry while studying the association between external dose and cancer mortality does not generate a substantial bias. To investigate more specifically the health effects of internal contamination, an effort is underway to estimate organ doses due to internal contamination.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr DB Richardson from the University of North Carolina for his helpful and constructive comments that contributed to improving the final version of the manuscript and Irwin Piot for his work updating the internal contamination indicator.

Funding

The construction of the French cohort was realized by the Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, with partial funding from AREVA and Electricité de France. The Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire thanks all persons from the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, AREVA, and Electricité de France who cooperated in the elaboration of the French cohort.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ionizing Radiation Epidemiology Laboratory, Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, 31 Avenue de la Division Leclerc, BP 17, 92262, Fontenay aux Roses Cedex, France

    L. Fournier, O. Laurent, E. Samson, S. Caër-Lorho, D. Laurier & K. Leuraud

  2. AREVA, Paris, France

    P. Laroche

  3. EDF, Saint Denis, France

    B. Le Guen

Authors
  1. L. Fournier
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  2. O. Laurent
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  4. S. Caër-Lorho
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  5. P. Laroche
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  6. B. Le Guen
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  7. D. Laurier
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. Fournier.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. P. Laroche and B. Le Guen are employed by AREVA and EDF, respectively. They have provided access to data sources needed for the construction of the cohort. They had no role in the study design analysis or interpretation of results or the writing of the paper.

Ethics approval

The Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) approved this study.

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Fournier, L., Laurent, O., Samson, E. et al. External radiation dose and cancer mortality among French nuclear workers: considering potential confounding by internal radiation exposure. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 89, 1183–1191 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1152-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1152-4

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