Lung cancer risk and exposure to incorporated plutonium

The mortality incidence from lung cancer was analyzed and the individual incorporated dose per lung was determined from regular determination of plutonium in the urine and radiometry of the autopsy material and also from data of individual photodosimetry of external exposure. Epidemiological studies were carried out by the cohort methods. The death risk from lung cancer due to external gamma irradiation was found to be statistically unreliable, while that from the disease due to incorporated plutonium was dose-dependent. The risk coefficient equals to 1.40±0.5% per Sv. The results are well approximated by a function with a threshold. The risk of death from lung cancer is 2 times higher for the personnel with increased level of plutonium incorporation.