Journal of Radiation Protection and Research

The Korean Association for Radiation Protection (대한방사선방어학회)
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A Cohort Study on Cancer Risk by Low-Dose Radiation Exposure among Radiation Workers of Nuclear Power Plants in Korea

저준위 방사선 노출의 암 유발에 관한 국내 원전종사자 코호트 연구

  • 임영기 (한국수력원자력(주) 방사선보건연구원) ;
  • 유근영 (서울대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실)
  • Published : 2006.06.30
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Abstract

The increased risk of cancer with exposure to low-dose radiation was estimated through longitudinal study for radiation workers at the nuclear power plants in Korea. The radiation dose data were collected from the Radiation Safety Management System(RSMS) of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd(KHNP). The cancer risks with radiation exposure were evaluated in terms of relative mortality ratios(RMR) and relative incidence ratios(RIR) to the unexposed employees at the nuclear power plants, and of the standardized mortality ratios(SMR) and standardized incidence ratios(SIR). There were no significant increases of canters of all sites in the exposed group either in RIR[1.08, 95% confidence interval(CI) 0.74-1.58] or in RMR[1.21, CI 0.70-2.08]. Neither SIR[0.81, CI 0.28-0.96] nor SMR[0.86, CI 0.66-1.10] significantly deviated from 1.0 for cancers of all sites. The trend analysis did not identify evident dose-response relationship due to insufficient numbers of the cases. Consequently, it is concluded that increases in cancer risks in the radiation worker group exposed to low doses at the nuclear power plants in Korea are not identified at this time.

원전 종사자를 대상으로 경시적인 코호트 연구를 통하여 저준위 방사선 노출과 암 발생 위해도를 규명하고자 하였다. 방사선 노출에 관한 정보는 한국수력원자력(주)의 방사선 관리 DB에서 수집하였고, 암 발생에 관한 정보는 한국인 중앙 암 등록 자료를, 암 사망에 관한 정보는 통계청 사망원인 자료를 이용하여 수집하였다. 방사선 노출과 암 발생 위해도는 표준화 암 사망비(SMR)와 표준화 암 발생 비(SIR)로 평가하였다. 노출 군에서 암 발생에 대한 상대위험도는 1.08로 평가되었으나 전체 암에 대한 SIR은 0.81로 유의성이 관찰되지 않았다. 암 사망에 대한 상대위험도는 1.21 이었으나 전체 암에 대한 SMR도 0.86으로 역시 유의성은 관찰되지 않았다. 암 유형별 양상은 우리나라 일반인과 유사한 결과를 보였으며, 방사선량 증가에 따른 양-반응 관계 또한 확인되지 않았다.

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