Objective
The overall objective is to foster scientific cooperation and transfer of knowledge and expertise in primarily cancer and radiation epidemiology between researchers in EC countries and their counterparts in the states affected by the Chernobyl accident, specifically Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Much work has already been initiated or planned in the three republics. In addition, several international or foreign organisations have/or are in the process of making collaborative agreements for specific epidemiologic investigations.
The Chernobyl accident, which took place on April 26 1986, resulted in widespread radioactive contamination over large areas of the three republics. Hundreds of thousands of people, employed in the clean-up of the accident or residing in the more contaminated areas, received substantial doses of radiation as a result of the accident. Further the population living in the polluted areas may have received substantial contamination. Of concern are the effects of short-lived isotopes Iodine-131, and the reports of thyroid cancer in children.
As a first stage a detailed questionnaire concerning, for each state, existence, contents, sources of information, completeness, centralization and computerization of cancer registries, population registries (death, residence) and "Chernobyl registries" will be developed. During the same period the documentation of the reported increase in thyroid carcinoma in children in Belarus, and the planning of pilot investigations as needed will be established. Sources of information for the construction of cohorts of liquidators in each state (Chernobyl registries, military records, etc) will be identified and protocols to study the leukaemia risk in liquidators and if judged feasible and desirable for other studies will be outlined. Training activities: a short course in basic cancer and radiation epidemiology, focusing on specific needs of the three states, will be held in the CIS.
Pilot studies concerning: the feasibility for follow-up of liquidators; dosimetry on a stratified sample of liquidator bloods: and a case-control study on leukaemia among liquidators in Belarus and Russia (Ukraine is doing this with US-researchers), were initiated to start in October 1993. Further, a course curriculum on radiation-epidemiology and cancer registration has been developed and planned in collaboration with Canadian cancer registry activities.
The development of research and technology in the three states is a major effort and an international obligation, and thus also for the European Communities. From a radiation protection point of view, studies in the above areas are of outmost importance for increasing our knowledge on the effects on populations of contamination of the environment with radiation.
The above will be fulfilled by:
Establishing training in epidemiology, radiation epidemiology, monitoring and follow-up methods (cancer registration, mortality) and thereby establish the basis for research:
Establish follow-up routines and quality control in liquidator registries and secure linkage possibilities to eg established cancer registries.
Validate the documented radiation dosimetry records, obtain blood samples and link the biological dosimetry projects for the purpose of future studies based on biological markers for radiation exposure.
Establish a case-control study on leukaemia among liquidators in Belarus and in Russia, to be collaborated with similar ongoing studies in Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This is a pilot study for future possible case-control studies on other cancers.
Further, a specific project will be initiated which will complement the ongoing ECLIS study in the Third Framework Programme. The study investigates the incidence of leukaemia in children aged 0-14 in Europe since 1980, and determines whether changes in incidence since 1985 are quantitatively related to the estimated exposure to radiation from the accident at Chernobyl. The specific project which is an extension of the study to Belarus and parts of Russia will provide comparable data from Eastern European countries, particularly those with high levels of exposure.
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
2100 KOEPENHAGEN
Denmark