Mortality rates among nuclear industry workers at Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre

Abstract

Objectives: To assess whether workers at Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre (LHSTC) have different levels of mortality from the New South Wales (NSW) and Australian populations. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken at LHSTC. Data on 7,076 workers employed between 1957‐98 were abstracted from personnel, dosimetry, and medical files. Deaths registrations in the cohort were identified to 1998 through electronic linkage of records with NSW and national registers of cancer incidence and mortality. Two inception cohorts were defined as including 4,717 and 3,543 workers in employment between 1972‐98 and 1980‐98, to examine cancer mortality and all‐cause mortality respectively. Results: All‐cause mortality was 31% lower than the national rates; all‐cancer mortality was 19% below the NSW rate. Of 37 specific cancers and groups of cancers examined, statistically significant excesses relative to NSW rates were observed only for pleural cancer mortality (SMR=21.11; 95% Cl 8.79‐50.72). Conclusions: The observed increase in the risk of cancer of the pleura was probably due to unmeasured exposures, given the lack of an established association with radiation exposure and the strong link to asbestos exposure.

Cancer Incidence among Australian Nuclear Industry Workers

“…In order to provide better information on the health of the workforce at LHSTC, the authors carried out a retrospective cohort study to assess cancer risks among these workers. Results on cancer mortality among workers at LHSTC were previously reported 18) . The main focus of this paper was to compare the cancer incidence rates of workers at LHSTC with those of the general NSW population of approximately 6.5 million people (around one-third of the total Australian population) 19) , and by inference to provide an indication of cancer risks to these workers.…”

“…Person-years at risk and events (cancer incidences) were stratified by sex, 5-yr age groups (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24), and ≥85 yr) and calendar year in single years, for comparison with rates for NSW. The SIRs were computed by dividing the number of observed incident cases by the expected number of cases by monitoring status (monitored, non-monitored).…”

“…The design and methods of data collection, methods used to determine the vital status, and ethical considerations have been described previously 18) . We summarize here some of these aspects and we give additional information relevant to the inclusion of data on cancer registration.…”

“…Vital status was established primarily through probability linkage with the computerised National Death Index at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare covering deaths in Australia since 1980. Cancer deaths in the period 1972-79 were ascertained through electronic linkage with the NSW CCR of cancer mortality in NSW between 1972 and 1996 18) .…”

Low-dose ionizing radiation increases the mortality risk of solid cancers in nuclear industry workers: A meta-analysis

“…The 90% CI of SMR was applied in 2 studies (34,35); this value was difficult to convert to 95% CI for the present meta-analysis, and the calculation of skewed distribution may have reduced the precision. Another source of bias was the combined colorectal SMR in three individual parts of the colon, small intestines and rectum in several studies (17,26,(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47), which could increase heterogeneity. Unfortunately, while the type of work-related exposure may be similar, a large-scale study also has significant differences in sensitivity and may have skewed the results of the meta-analysis.…”