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Breast Cancer High in X-ray Techs Before 1950
I thought this might be of interest.
-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
3050 Traymore Lane
Bowie, MD 20715-2024
E-mail: jenday1@email.msn.com (H)
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Breast Cancer Mortality High in X-Ray Techs Who Worked Before 1950
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 19 - Women who worked in the US as radiologic
technologists before 1950 have a higher risk of death from breast cancer
compared with women who started working in such jobs in 1960 or later,
according to a report in the June 19th issue of the Journal of the National
Cancer Institute.
Dr. Michael Hauptmann from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda,
Maryland, and colleagues collected data on 65,525 female radiologic
technologists who had been certified in the US between 1926 and 1982.
The researchers examined deaths from breast cancer and their relationship to
the women's work history and practices. They also adjusted the data for
known risk factors.
The highest risk of death from breast cancer was found among women who
became radiologic technologists before 1940 (relative risk 2.92), and
between 1940 and 1949 (relative risk 2.44), compared with women who started
working as radiologic technologists in 1960 or after. After 1960 the risk
declined.
Among women who performed fluoroscopy and multifilm procedures before 1950,
there was a significantly increased risk of breast cancer death compared
with women who first performed these procedures in 1960 or after, the
researchers found.
In a statement, Dr. Hauptmann and colleagues conclude that "the increased
risks of dying from breast cancer among radiologic technologists who first
worked or worked 5 or more years prior to 1950 were likely due to higher
levels of radiation exposure before 1950, since recommended radiation
exposure limits were dramatically reduced between 1930 and the late 1950s."
J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94:943-948.
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Reuters Health Information 2002. © 2002 Reuters Ltd
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