Med. Pr. 2008;59(1):1-8 |
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES CAUSED BY IONIZING RADIATION IN POLAND, 1971-2006 |
CHOROBY ZAWODOWE SPOWODOWANE DZIAŁANIEM PROMIENIOWANIA JONIZUJĄCEGO W POLSCE W LATACH 1971-2006 |
Urszula Wilczyńska, Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska |
Abstract
Background: The whole spectrum of disorders of the hematopoietic
tissue, eye and skin induced by ionizing radiation covers complex
pathologies termed as a postirradiation syndrome, as well as various
malignancies. The aim of this work is to present the data on incidence
of occupational diseases with ionizing radiation as a causative agent.
Materials and Methods: The work is based on the data compiled from
"Occupational Diseases Reporting Forms" for the years 1971-2006
collected in the Central Register of Occupational Diseases. The
incidence of certified occupational diseases with ionizing radiation as
a causative agent is expressed in absolute numbers and the rate per 100
000 employees. The data comprise information on disease entities,
gender, age, exposure duration and the branch of national economy.
Results: In total, 599 diseases (0.2% of all occupational diseases)
were diagnosed as those induced by ionizong radiation. Annual incidence
rates per 100 000 employees fell within the range of 0.0-0.7. Miners
formed the major (51.9%) occupational group affected by ionizing
radiation. They were followed by health care (34.3%) and construction
(6.4%) workers. Cancers made over 50% of pathologies located at 28
sites. These included cancers of lung (59.2%), skin (10.0%) and
hematopoietic tissue (8.7%). Almost all (99.35) diseases recorded in
the mining industry were cancers. Non-cancer diseases were more
frequent in health care workers, among them postradiation cataract
occupied the first place. Conclusions: A great deal of reported cancer
sites give rise to controversy in terms of the cause-effect association
with ionizing radiation exposure and also due to incomplete data on
exposure duration. Postradiation cancers among health care workers have
not been registered over recent years, which means that occupational
exposure surveillance carried out for many years proves to be
effective. Distant effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, revealed
in workers of no longer existing uranium mine, appeared to be a
particular problem. These were cancers certified up to the year 2003 in
persons with documented employment in that mine during the post-war
period. Med Pr 2008;59(1):1-8
Key words
occupational diseases, ionising radiation, malignant neoplasm