Estimating of radiation risks of non-cancer diseases among Russian Chernobyl cleanup workers

In the absence of man-made sources of ionizing radiation health risks are related primarily to non-malignant diseases, particularly circulation diseases. However, risks of radiation-induced non-cancer diseases can make a notable contribution to the overall radiation-associated detrimental effects to the human health. The impacts of harm caused by radiation induced non-cancer and cancer diseases are comparable. That is why the study of risks of non-cancer diseases for health of the Chernobyl cleanup workers is actual scientific problem, it is also essential for radiation protection. The aim of the study is to estimate radiation risks of incidence and mortality from non-cancer diseases identified in the Russian cohort of the Chernobyl liquidators during the follow-up period. All considered non-communicable diseases have proven diagnoses identified according to ICD-10 chapters and code sets. The data for the study are available in the system of the National Radiation Epidemiological Registry (NRER). For estimating risks of low radiation doses the linear non-threshold (LNT) model was used. For 9 of 19 disease diagnosis codes investigated for statistical significance of associations between excess incidence of a disease and radiation dose received by liquidators can be considered as significant code sets. These are the following diseases: 1) Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89); 2) Diseases of the endocrine system, nutritional disorders and disorders of metabolism (E00-E90); 3) Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99); 4) Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99); 5) Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99); 6) Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99); 7) Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93); 8) Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99); 9) Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99). Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89); diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99); blood diseases (D50-D89) are characterized by the highest radiation risk coefficients (ERR/Gy). The estimates are ERR/Gy=0.55 and ERR/Gy=0.57, respectively. To date, epidemiological studies provide sufficient evidence for the existence of statistically significant radiation risks of the circulatory system diseases (I00-I99). For estimating contribution of non-cancer diseases to the overall radiation detriment further research is required.