Breast Cancer Risk and Protracted Low-to-Moderate Dose Occupational Radiation Exposure in the US Radiologic Technologists Cohort, 1983–2008

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alexander BH ; Cahoon EK ; Doody MM ; Freedman DM ; Kitahara CM ; Linet MS ; Little MP ; Miller JS ; Preston DL ; Rajaraman P ; Sigurdson AJ ; Simon SL
• Description:
  Background: Although high-dose ionising radiation is associated with increased breast cancer risks, the association with protracted low-dose-rate exposures remains unclear. The US Radiologic Technologist study provides an opportunity to examine the association between low-to-moderate dose radiation and breast cancer incidence and mortality. Methods: One thousand nine hundred and twenty-two self-reported first primary cancers were diagnosed during 1983-2005 among 66 915 female technologists, and 586 breast cancer deaths occurred during 1983-2008 among 83 538 female cohort members. Occupational breast dose estimates were based on work histories, historical data, and, after the mid-1970s, individual film badge measurements. Excess relative risks were estimated using Poisson regression with birth cohort stratification and adjustment for menopause, reproductive history, and other risk factors. Results: Higher doses were associated with increased breast cancer incidence, with an excess relative risk at 100 mGy of 0.07 (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.005 to 0.19). Associations were strongest for technologists born before 1930 (excess relative risk at 100 mGy=0.16; 95% CI: 0.03-0.39) with similar patterns for mortality among technologists born before 1930. Conclusions: Occupational radiation to the breast was positively associated with breast cancer risk. The risk was more pronounced for women born before 1930 who began working before 1950 when mean annual doses (37 mGy) were considerably higher than in later years (1.3 mGy). However, because of the uncertainties and possible systematic errors in the occupational dose estimates before 1960, these findings should be treated with caution. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cohort Studies Epidemiology Health Personnel Neoplasms Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Radiation Safety Women
• Keywords:
  Breast Cancer Cancer Rates Cohort Studies Health Care Workers Medical Personnel Nuclear Medicine Occupational Exposure Radiology
• ISSN:
  0007-0920
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Maryland ; Minnesota ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  115
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064389
• Citation:
  Br J Cancer 2016 Oct; 115(9):1105-1112
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr DL Preston, Hirosoft International, 1335 H, Eureka, CA 95501, USA
• Email:
  preston@hirosoft.net
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Performing Organization:
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  British Journal of Cancer
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d289894ed924c509f48f8a0118e8d350719bf2ae4b6e494c55081e1ed908a81579b6009819d51bf2bcc5fa000b8f4ce6e49b2ec7b3ab565aec015cf05cd0d256
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222854/cdc_222854_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 241.06 KB ]