Risk of central nervous system tumour incidence in a cohort of workers chronically exposed to ionising radiation

The aim of the present study was to assess the risk of primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour incidence in a cohort of 22,377 Mayak Production Association workers chronically exposed to ionising radiation. There were 96 primary CNS tumours, including 42 cases of glioma and 44 cases of meningioma, registered during the whole follow-up period (1948–2018). The study demonstrated that the risk of primary CNS tumour incidence was associated with sex, attained age, calendar period, tall body height, age at the beginning of exposure, and facility type. There was no association found between risk of CNS tumour incidence and body mass index, smoking (males) and alcohol consumption status. The study did not find an effect of the total external gamma radiation dose absorbed in the brain on risk of CNS tumour incidence irrespective of whether an adjustment for the total external neutron dose absorbed in the brain was included or not. Excess relative risk per 1 Gy of external gamma brain dose was 0.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.30; 0.70) for all CNS tumours, −0.18 (95% CI –; 0.44) for gliomas, and 0.38 (95% CI −0.32; 2.08) for meningiomas without adjustment for total neutron brain dose. There was no effect modification by sex, attained age, age at hire or facility.