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Occupational exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

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Abstract

Objective

To investigate the association between occupational exposure to ionizing, ultraviolet (UV), radiofrequency (RF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation and risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in a population-based case-control study.

Methods

The study population consisted of 694 NHL cases, first diagnosed between 1 January 2000 and 31 August 2001, and 694 controls from two regions in Australia, matched by age, sex and region of residence. A detailed occupation history was first obtained using a lifetime calendar and a telephone interview. Exposure to radiation was then assessed using a Finnish job-exposure matrix (FINJEM). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated from logistic regression models that included the matching variables as covariates.

Results

For ionizing radiation, the ORs were close to unity. For UV and ELF radiation, the highest exposed group of workers had ORs of 1.32 (95% CI = 0.96–1.81) and 1.25 (95% CI = 0.91–1.72), respectively. For UV radiation there was a positive dose–response when exposure was lagged by 5 and 10 years (P for trend 0.04 for both lag periods). Workers in the upper tertile of exposure for RF radiation had an OR of 3.15 (95% CI = 0.63–15.87), but the estimate was based on very small numbers.

Conclusions

Our results do not provide support for an association between NHL and occupational exposure to ionizing or ELF radiation. For UV radiation, our findings are consistent with a weak positive association. Further investigation focusing on UV and RF radiation and NHL is required.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia and The Cancer Council NSW. Lin Fritschi is supported by a NHMRC Career Development Award. Claire Vajdic has a Post-doctoral Research Fellowship of the NHMRC. Ann Maree Hughes was a University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine Postgraduate Scholarship recipient. Bruce Armstrong’s research is supported by a University of Sydney Medical Foundation program grant. The National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Ken K. Karipidis, Geza Benke & Malcolm R. Sim

  2. Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, 619 Lower Plenty Road, Yallambie, VIC, 3085, Australia

    Ken K. Karipidis

  3. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

    Timo Kauppinen

  4. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Anne Kricker & Bruce Armstrong

  5. Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, York, UK

    Ann Maree Hughes

  6. National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Andrew E. Grulich, Claire M. Vajdic & John Kaldor

  7. Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia

    Lin Fritschi

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  1. Ken K. Karipidis
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  2. Geza Benke
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  10. Bruce Armstrong
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Correspondence to Ken K. Karipidis.

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Karipidis, K.K., Benke, G., Sim, M.R. et al. Occupational exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 80, 663–670 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-007-0177-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-007-0177-0

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