Open AccessThe epidemiological situation of thyroid cancer in belarus
Author(s) -
Bleuer Juerg P.,
Abelin Theodor,
Averkin Yuri I.,
Okeanov Aleksei E.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.5530150733
Subject(s) - chernobyl nuclear accident , thyroid cancer , biology , epidemiology , incidence (geometry) , demography , distribution (mathematics) , cohort , thyroid , cancer , environmental health , pathology , medicine , genetics , mathematics , mathematical analysis , geometry , sociology
Starting in 1990, an increasing number of children in regions adjacent to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear accident have been diagnosed as suffering from thyroid cancer. Using available data up to 1994, the geographical distribution, time and cohort trends, age distribution and other characteristics of this epidemic are reviewed. The results show that the geographical distribution is similar to that of iodine‐131 after the nuclear accident. When looking at cohorts of children born in the same years, one can see that the incidence has been increasing steadily since 1990; deviations from this pattern might be explained by active case finding. A causal relationship with the Chernobyl accident appears the most likely interpretation of these results. Possible modifying factors should, however, be examined closely. Stem Cells 1997; 15(suppl 2): 251‐254