Exposure to EM Radiation from Radar: Health Implications for Navy Personnel Aviators & other Military Servicemen / Radar Personnel

These authors investigated the potential link between pilots’ exposure to non-ionizing radiation and the incidence of cancer. Mortality statistics were reviewed for 2,740 pilots using standardized mortality and incidence ratios (SMR) & (SIR). Rates were contrasted with a non-exposed referent population. The preferred relative risk model for radiation-induced nonchronic lymphoid leukemia (Beir V report) was applied to the cohort by using published estimates of in-flight radiation exposures (conceivably emitted from radar installations). Ninety percent confidence intervals of the SMR and SIR were also calculated. These authors found statistically significant increases in the incidence of acute myeloid leukemia (SIR = 4.72, 90% CI 2.05-9.31 and prostate cancer (SIR = 1.87, 90% CI 1.38-2.49) in the pilots when compared to the referent population. They suggest that that closer monitoring of aviators’ in-flight exposure to non-ionizing radiation and long-term follow-up of aviation crew members is needed.