Mortality rates among nuclear industry workers at Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether workers at Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre (LHSTC) have different levels of mortality from the New South Wales (NSW) and Australian populations.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was undertaken at LHSTC. Data on 7,076 workers employed between 1957-98 were abstracted from personnel, dosimetry, and medical files. Deaths registrations in the cohort were identified to 1998 through electronic linkage of records with NSW and national registers of cancer incidence and mortality. Two inception cohorts were defined as including 4,717 and 3,543 workers in employment between 1972-98 and 1980-98, to examine cancer mortality and all-cause mortality respectively.


RESULTS
All-cause mortality was 31% lower than the national rates; all-cancer mortality was 19% below the NSW rate. Of 37 specific cancers and groups of cancers examined, statistically significant excesses relative to NSW rates were observed only for pleural cancer mortality (SMR = 21.11; 95% Cl 8.79-50.72).


CONCLUSIONS
The observed increase in the risk of cancer of the pleura was probably due to unmeasured exposures, given the lack of an established association with radiation exposure and the strong link to asbestos exposure.
Habib
Rima R
RR
Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Lebanon. rima.habib@aub.edu.lb
Abdallah
Samer M
SM
Law
Matthew
M
Kaldor
John
J
D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011210:Power Plants; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects