CNS cancers and radiation exposure: a case-control study among workers at two nuclear facilities

A nested case-control study was conducted among workers employed in two nuclear facilities to investigate the possible association of primary CNS cancers with occupational exposure to radiation from external and internal sources. External radiation monitoring data from film badges were available for 27 cases and 90 matched controls. The radiation dose to the lung from internally deposited uranium was estimated for 47 cases and 120 matched controls from area and personnel monitoring data and was used in analyses in lieu of the brain dose. No association was observed between deaths from CNS cancers and exposure to ionizing radiation from external or internal sources. However, due to the small number of monitored subjects and low doses, a modest association could not be ruled out.