Cancer risk for frequent fliers

Wednesday, 22 Oct, 2003 0

Frequent fliers have a higher chance of contracting cancer, with cabin crew running the highest risk, according to evidence released today.

The Daily Mail reports that airline crews receive a higher dose of radiation each year than workers in the nuclear industry, largely because radiation levels are much higher at altitude than at sea level.

The newspaper quotes one study carried out in Iceland, which showed that air stewardesses who had been working on aircraft since 1966 or earlier were more than five times more likely to develop breast cancer, than those who had been employed as cabin crew more recently.

And research from Sweden showed that cases of malignant melanoma in both male and female crew were between two and three times higher than the average. Even though researchers allowed for cabin crew generally taking more “exotic” holidays than the rest of the population, they still could not account for the higher incidence of melanoma.

Kate Law, head of clinical trials at Cancer Research UK, reportedly told the newspaper: “It is clear that people working in these occupations should be fully aware of the potential risks.”



 



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