Cancer mortality among Techa River residents and their offspring

This paper analyzes the data on leukemia and solid cancers of all types among 28,000 people exposed due to discharges of radioactive waste into the Techa River in the South Urals. Cancer mortality rates for the 33-y period since the beginning of the exposure have been estimated. In addition, the paper discusses malignancy cases among the first generation offspring of the exposed people. In comparison with matched control groups, an increased incidence of malignant neoplasms was observed among the exposed population. The leukemia risk, estimated on the basis of the linear model of absolute risk, was 0.85 per 10,000 person-y Gy of the dose accumulated in red bone marrow. Solid cancer risk (except osteosarcoma), estimated using linear model of relative risk, was 0.65 per Gy of dose accumulated in soft tissues. No increase in cancer mortality has been documented for the offspring of the exposed individuals.