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International Agency for research on cancer (IARC)
International Agency for research on cancer (IARC)
As part of ongoing research into the health effects of exposure to radiation, a new study is being carried out to investigate lung cancer risk and leukaemia risk among nuclear workers exposed to internally deposited radionuclides. The study, being part funded by the European Union is being carried out by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC.
The study will investigate in detail the risk of lung cancer and leukaemia in relation to internal exposure to uranium and plutonium among workers in the European nuclear industry. It is a multi-national case control study involving data from workers in France, Belgium and the UK. In the UK, AWE, UKAEA, Sellafield Ltd, LLWR Ltd and Springfields Fuels Ltd are part of the study. Specifically for us, those workers and former workers who have ever worked at Sellafield or Springfields.
Information will be collected from industry records on employment, radiation exposure, smoking and medical x-rays (from occupational health records,) by data collection teams under the direction of occupational health physicians.
Full ethical approval for the work has been obtained from the relevant medical committees and will be carried out under the normal requirements of medical confidentiality to which all medical and statistical personnel are bound to conform.
No approach will be made to any individual for information, and in carrying out the study and reporting the results, confidentiality and anonymity will be preserved.
