title: The epidemiological situation of thyroid cancer in Belarus.
abstract: Starting in 1990, an increasing number of children in regions adjacent to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear accident have been diagnosed as suffering from thyroid cancer. Using available data up to 1994, the geographical distribution, time and cohort trends, age distribution and other characteristics of this epidemic are reviewed. The results show that the geographical distribution is similar to that of iodine-131 after the nuclear accident. When looking at cohorts of children born in the same years, one can see that the incidence has been increasing steadily since 1990; deviations from this pattern might be explained by active case finding. A causal relationship with the Chernobyl accident appears the most likely interpretation of these results. Possible modifying factors should, however, be examined closely.
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology of Radiation and Thyroid Disease, Dept. of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bleuer
authors.forename: Y I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Averkin
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Okeanov
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abelin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016477:Artifacts; D002648:Child; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011210:Power Plants; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D002094:Republic of Belarus / Q000453:epidemiology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes