Flight attendants have higher cancer rates, and this doctor thinks he knows why

A new study has shown that flight attendants are at increased risk for several types of cancer – and radiation exposure (at high altitude, less atmospheric protection against cosmic space radiation) and disturbance of circadian rhythm (hello, red-eye changes and constant jet lag) were cited as potential causes.

For the latest study, published in the journal Environmental Health, researchers used data from the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Survey, which included responses from more than 5,300 flight attendants. They compared these results to data from nearly 3,000 adults with similar socio-economic backgrounds, participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

The results showed that, for women, breast cancer was 1.5 times more common compared to the general public, while melanoma was twice as common and non-melanoma skin cancers ( as basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas) were four times more common. Flight attendants also had higher rates of cancers of the uterus, cervix, thyroid, and digestive tract.

In a statement, the author of the study, Irina Mordukhovich, researcher at Harvard TH According to the Chan School of Public Health, the results are "striking" given the low rates of Obesity and smoking among flight attendants – 8% of participating flight attendants were current smokers, compared to 16% of NHANES respondents. to blame for the prevalence of cancer in flight attendants? Although the study did not identify a cause (this was not his goal), Mordukhovich and his colleagues proposed some potential explanations, including the flight attendants' exposure to cosmic ionizing radiation (or radiation from space)

We are exposed to small amounts of ionizing radiation all the time, although our atmosphere provides some degree of protection. At higher altitudes, where the air is thinner, more radiation passes, which could increase the risk of cancer according to some researchers.

"The cabin crew has the largest annual dose of ionizing radiation from all American workers". The radiation dose is measured in millisievert per year (mSv), and previous research has shown that the average dose for cabin crews is 3.07 mSv versus 0.59 mSv for workers in the Ministry of Transport. United States energy

. He is interviewed by Timothy J. Jorgensen, Ph.D., director of the Graduate Program in Radiation Protection and Radiation Protection at Georgetown University.

He explains that the natural doses of background radiation (the amount to which we are all exposed here soil) varies by about 3.0 mSv per year for New York residents (at sea level) at 12.0 mSv per year in a high altitude location like Denver.

"So you can see that most crew members are getting a lower radiation dose than people living in Denver," says Jorgensen. "Since it has never been shown that people living in Denver, or in other areas with higher doses, are at greater risk of cancer because of their exposure to radiation, I do not see how the cancer risk Experts believe that the # Exposure to 1 mSv increases the risk of cancer by 0.005%, so if a flight attendant has been working for 30 years, for a cumulative exposure of 90 mSv, Given this slight increase in risk, Jorgensen thinks the alternative explanations Study authors for higher cancer rates are more likely to be responsible than radiation. "

In addition to radiation exposure, flight attendants are exposed to other possible carcinogens (such as jet fuel, pesticides used to kill insects on board and flame retardants), noted the Authors But perhaps the most sought-after explanation is she the irregular sleep schedules maintained by flight attendants

In fact, a recent meta-analysis of 61 studies linked shift work and disrupted circadian rhythm with increased risk of breast cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer in women.

The reason? Our bodies do a better job of repairing damage to the DNA when we sleep at night that if we sleep during the day, according to a study of 2017 in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.The authors of the study found that lower levels of melatonin, aka "sleep hormone", at the work their quarters are likely to blame. (The light suppresses the hormone secreted normally at night.)

"What seems to be happening, and this is confirmed by numerous animal and cellular evidence, is that melatonin normally results in the repair of damage, "says Parveen, lead author. Bhatti, Ph.D., epidemiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in a statement. "So with low levels of melatonin, their repair machinery is not working at optimal levels."

Bhatti and other researchers are looking into whether melatonin supplements could help counter the effects of night work. the flight attendants take things in hand. The Association of Flight Attendants – CWA, the main union of the workers' group, calls on airlines and regulators to "change working conditions to reduce risk". The organization also plans to educate its members on the potential risks of radiation exposure and interrupted sleep patterns.

If nothing else, it will at least raise awareness and can help early detection of cancer.

Were you aware? the link between disruption of the circadian rhythm and cancer? Does this increased cancer risk affect you personally or anyone you know? Do you think that the results of the study could discourage people from entering a profession related to theft? Let us know in the comments below.