Lung cancer in nuclear workers of Mayak. A comparison of numerical procedures

Lung cancer mortality was analyzed among 4279 nuclear workers of the Mayak facilities in the former Soviet Union, who were exposed to chronic irradiation both externally and internally from incorporated plutonium. The analysis was carried out in terms of a relative risk model. It was shown that an earlier estimate of the excess relative risk for lung cancer, that exceeds the value employed by ICRP by a factor of roughly 2, as well as an earlier estimated latency period of 24 years for lung cancer induction were the result of the numerical procedure chosen. In another recently published case control study, a purely quadratic, threshold-type dose response to incorporated plutonium was deduced. In the present calculations, no evidence for a departure from linearity in dose response was suggested. Principal aim of this study has been the comparison to methods used in the earlier cohort analysis. More detailed risk modelling on the basis of the most recent follow-up will be required.