Cancer incidence in airline cabin crew
- Correspondence to: Dr E A Whelan 4676 Columbia Parkway, R-15 Cincinnati, OH, USA; ewhelan{at}cdc.gov
Evidence that flight crew are at increased risk for certain types of cancer is growing although epidemiological evidence remains inconclusive
Recent reports highlighting increased cancer incidence and mortality among airline pilots and cabin crew have raised concerns about potential exposure of these workers to known or suspected carcinogens, in particular cosmic ionising radiation. Higher radiation dose rates are found at higher altitudes and in the polar regions, and mean doses to flight crew have been increasing over time as longer flights at higher altitudes have become more frequent. Other possible hazards that may play a role in cancer risk for flight crew include irregular working hours and disturbances of circadian rhythm. Epidemiological studies of mortality and cancer incidence in flight crew have been reviewed recently,1,2 but in the past 2–3 years, 10 new studies of pilots or cabin crew have been published, the majority of which result from a combined effort underway by the European Community. These studies include three mortality studies3–5 and seven cancer incidence studies.6–12 Overall, the reports suggest that pilots are at increased risk of malignant melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and possibly acute myeloid leukemia, and that cabin crew are at increased risk for breast cancer and malignant melanoma. However, the question remains as to whether the observed excesses are due to occupational exposures or non-occupational factors, such as reproductive history and lifestyle. Studies of cabin crew have been limited by exposure assessment that is based on data readily available from employment records such as duration of employment, domestic or international status, or employment before or after the operation of jet …
