Fri, Jul 18, 2003
Pilots Bring it On Themselves, Researcher Says
Contrary to results of some of the smaller studies that have
been run in recent years, New Scientist magazine reported
this week that a European study of frequent fliers did not indicate
any greater risk of cancer than the general population.
The study enlisted 44,000 airline
employees, from eight countries. The only group with a higher
incidence of cancer than the general population were the
front-seaters; but one of the researchers said that was a lifestyle
thing: "Pilots go on vacation more often than other people and they
get free flights. There's anecdotal evidence that they're in the
sun more than other people," said Maria Blettner, of the University
of Bielefeld in Germany.
Ms. Blettner did not mention that pilots sit in the sunlight
much of the time, while cabin crew (and PAX) are in the shadow of
the big tube, aft. The concerns that bothered researchers most,
though, revolved around with cosmic rays, which are not blocked by
the aircraft's body -- but which are dissipated to a great
degree by atmosphere. Since there's a lot more atmosphere on the
ground than at 35,000 feet, some reasoned, cosmic ray exposure
should be less-damaging at lower altitudes. That's assuming that
cosmic rays do cause cancer.
The New Scientist also noted, "Indeed, a separate study
of 28,000 pilots, to be published by the same team in the
International Journal of Cancer, found there were one third fewer
deaths from cancer in pilots." Riddle me that...
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