Background radiation and cancer incidence in Kerala, India-Karanagappally cohort study
- PMID:19066487
- DOI: 10.1097/01.HP.0000327646.54923.11
Background radiation and cancer incidence in Kerala, India-Karanagappally cohort study
Abstract
The coastal belt of Karunagappally, Kerala, India, is known for high background radiation (HBR) from thorium-containing monazite sand. In coastal panchayats, median outdoor radiation levels are more than 4 mGy y-1 and, in certain locations on the coast, it is as high as 70 mGy y-1. Although HBR has been repeatedly shown to increase the frequency of chromosome aberrations in the circulating lymphocytes of exposed persons, its carcinogenic effect is still unproven. A cohort of all 385,103 residents in Karunagappally was established in the 1990's to evaluate health effects of HBR. Based on radiation level measurements, a radiation subcohort consisting of 173,067 residents was chosen. Cancer incidence in this subcohort aged 30-84 y (N = 69,958) was analyzed. Cumulative radiation dose for each individual was estimated based on outdoor and indoor dosimetry of each household, taking into account sex- and age-specific house occupancy factors. Following 69,958 residents for 10.5 years on average, 736,586 person-years of observation were accumulated and 1,379 cancer cases including 30 cases of leukemia were identified by the end of 2005. Poisson regression analysis of cohort data, stratified by sex, attained age, follow-up interval, socio-demographic factors and bidi smoking, showed no excess cancer risk from exposure to terrestrial gamma radiation. The excess relative risk of cancer excluding leukemia was estimated to be -0.13 Gy-1 (95% CI: -0.58, 0.46). In site-specific analysis, no cancer site was significantly related to cumulative radiation dose. Leukemia was not significantly related to HBR, either. Although the statistical power of the study might not be adequate due to the low dose, our cancer incidence study, together with previously reported cancer mortality studies in the HBR area of Yangjiang, China, suggests it is unlikely that estimates of risk at low doses are substantially greater than currently believed.
Comment in
- The risk of cancer from natural background ionizing radiation.Wakeford R, Kendall GM, Little MP.Wakeford R, et al.Health Phys. 2009 Dec;97(6):637-8; author reply 638. doi: 10.1097/01.HP.0000363834.40051.f7.Health Phys. 2009.PMID:19901600No abstract available.
Similar articles
- Cancer and non-cancer mortality among Inhabitants in the high background radiation area of Yangjiang, China (1979-1998).Tao Z, Akiba S, Zha Y, Sun Q, Zou J, Li J, Liu Y, Yuan Y, Tokonami S, Morishoma H, Koga T, Nakamura S, Sugahara T, Wei L.Tao Z, et al.Health Phys. 2012 Feb;102(2):173-81. doi: 10.1097/HP.0b013e31822c7f1e.Health Phys. 2012.PMID:22217590
- Effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on respiratory and cardiovascular mortality in the Netherlands: the NLCS-AIR study.Brunekreef B, Beelen R, Hoek G, Schouten L, Bausch-Goldbohm S, Fischer P, Armstrong B, Hughes E, Jerrett M, van den Brandt P.Brunekreef B, et al.Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2009 Mar;(139):5-71; discussion 73-89.Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2009.PMID:19554969
- [Cancer mortality in high background radiation area of Yangjiang, China, 1979-1995].Tao Z, Cha Y, Sun Q.Tao Z, et al.Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 1999 Jul;79(7):487-92.Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 1999.PMID:11715418Chinese.
- [Epidemiologic data on radiation-induced breast cancer].Telle-Lamberton M.Telle-Lamberton M.Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique. 2008 Aug;56(4):235-43. doi: 10.1016/j.respe.2008.05.024. Epub 2008 Jul 30.Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique. 2008.PMID:18672338Review.French.
- Cancer and non-cancer effects in Japanese atomic bomb survivors.Little MP.Little MP.J Radiol Prot. 2009 Jun;29(2A):A43-59. doi: 10.1088/0952-4746/29/2A/S04. Epub 2009 May 19.J Radiol Prot. 2009.PMID:19454804Review.
Cited by
- Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: facts, environmental contamination, possible biological effects, and countermeasures.Anzai K, Ban N, Ozawa T, Tokonami S.Anzai K, et al.J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2012 Jan;50(1):2-8. doi: 10.3164/jcbn.D-11-00021. Epub 2011 Dec 9.J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2012.PMID:22247595Free PMC article.
- Study of stillbirth and major congenital anomaly among newborns in the high-level natural radiation areas of Kerala, India.Jaikrishan G, Sudheer KR, Andrews VJ, Koya PK, Madhusoodhanan M, Jagadeesan CK, Seshadri M.Jaikrishan G, et al.J Community Genet. 2013 Jan;4(1):21-31. doi: 10.1007/s12687-012-0113-1. Epub 2012 Aug 9.J Community Genet. 2013.PMID:22875746Free PMC article.
- Gamma dose rate distribution in the Unegt subbasin, a uranium deposit area in Dornogobi Province, southeastern Mongolia.Omori Y, Sorimachi A, Gun-Aajav M, Enkhgerel N, Munkherdene G, Oyunbolor G, Shajbalidir A, Palam E, Yamada C.Omori Y, et al.Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019 Nov;26(32):33494-33506. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-06420-3. Epub 2019 Sep 16.Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019.PMID:31529344
- Cancer mortality in six lowest versus six highest elevation jurisdictions in the u.s.Hart J.Hart J.Dose Response. 2010 Apr 23;9(1):50-8. doi: 10.2203/dose-response.09-051.Hart.Dose Response. 2010.PMID:21431077Free PMC article.
- Ethical Issues Related to the Promotion of a "100 mSv Threshold Assumption" in Japan after the Fukushima Nuclear Accident in 2011: Background and Consequences.Tsuda T, Lindahl L, Tokinobu A.Tsuda T, et al.Curr Environ Health Rep. 2017 Jun;4(2):119-129. doi: 10.1007/s40572-017-0145-0.Curr Environ Health Rep. 2017.PMID:28429301Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Research Materials