Radiation biology. Radioecology
ISSN: 0869-8031

Archives → 2021 → V. 61. №1. → pp. 14–24

Article

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Incidence Risks in a Cohort of Workers Chronically Exposed to Ionizing Radiation

M. V. Bannikova, T. V. Azizova, E. S. Grigoryeva, and V. L. Rybkina

Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Chelyabinsk region, Ozyorsk, Russia

Abstract

A strong increasing trend in skin cancer rates in individuals exposed to different types of radiation among other populations has been observed during recent decades. However, risk and dose-response for chronic low-dose-rate exposures are still unclear. This study was aimed to assess the incidence risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in a cohort of workers chronically exposed to ionizing radiation at low dose rates. Using AMFIT module of EPICURE software, relative risk and excess relative risk per unit dose (RR and ERR/Sv) were calculated. 294 NMSC cases were registered in members of the study cohort. NMSC incidence was found to be associated with non-radiation factors: sex, attained age, type of facility, education level. The risk of NMSC incidence was found to be significantly increased in workers chronically externally exposed to γ-rays at cumulative doses above 2.0 Sv (RR = 2.52; 95% CI 1.60–3.97) compared to a reference dose category (0 ± 0.05 Sv). NMSC incidence was found to be significantly associated with cumulative γ-dose of external exposure with ERR/Sv of 0.49 (95% CI; 0.22–0.90) without an adjustment for neutron dose and 0.51 (95% CI; 0.22–0.93) while adjusted for neutron dose.

Keywords

non-melanoma skin cancer, chronic occupational radiation exposure, professional activity, Mayak PA worker cohort