RECONSTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL RADIATION DOSES FOR A CASE-CONTROL STUDY OF THYROID CANCER IN FRENCH POLYNESIA

• DOI: 10.1097/01.hp.0000299293.06218.88
• Publication Date: 2009-03-03T22:24:26Z
• Authors: Vladimir Drozdovitch; André Bouville; Françoise Doyon; Pauline Brindel; Elisabeth Cardis; Florent de Vathaire
• Keywords: Radioactive Fallout; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; Time Factors; Radiation Dosage; Risk Assessment; Polynesia; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Air Pollutants, Radioactive; Case-Control Studies; Humans; Thyroid Neoplasms; Nuclear Warfare

Forty-one atmospheric nuclear weapons tests (plus five safety tests) were conducted in French Polynesia between 1966 and 1974. To evaluate the potential role of testing on a high incidence thyroid cancer observed since 1985 Polynesia, population-based case-control study was performed. The included 602 subjects, either cases or controls, all aged less than 40 y at end Radiation doses to thyroids subjects assessed based available historical results radiation measurements. These mainly found annual reports radiological situation that had been sent UNSCEAR Secretariat. For each test contributed substantially local deposition radionuclides, dose from 131I intake estimated. In addition, short-lived radioiodines (132I, 133I, 135I) 132Te, external exposure gamma-emitted radionuclides deposited ground, ingestion long-lived 137Cs reconstructed. mean among be around 3 mGy while highest estimated mGy. Doses iodine tellurium isotopes ranged up 10 Thyroid mGy, those internal due cesium did not exceed 1 estimates have obtained are rather limited number measurements performed islands highly uncertain. A thorough compilation monitoring 1966–1974 would likely greatly improve reliability precision estimates.