Study: Flight attendants, pilots face higher risk of radiation-linked cancers

A groundbreaking study has revealed an unexpected link between aviation careers and an increased risk of specific cancer types, challenging common assumptions about occupational hazards.

Contrary to expectations that professions involving radiation, such as healthcare or nuclear industries, would show the highest risk, new research indicates that flight attendants and pilots face a greater likelihood of dying from certain cancers. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, analyzed U.S. death records for over 12.7 million individuals across 503 occupations between 2020 and 2024.

Researchers, led by Harvard Medical School surgeon Vishal Patel, found that flight attendants and stewards had a 50% higher mortality rate from cancers linked to ionizing radiation exposure compared to other professions. Pilots followed closely, with a 36% higher rate. These specific cancers include breast, thyroid, prostate, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and melanoma.

Notably, when analyzing all other cancer types, aviation personnel did not deviate from the average. This specificity strengthens the hypothesis that professional radiation exposure, rather than lifestyle or socioeconomic factors, is the underlying cause. Epidemiologists Catherine M. Olsen and Ken Karipidis commented that the results support the notion that occupational radiation exposure is a significant factor.

The increased exposure is attributed to the reduced protection from cosmic radiation at higher altitudes. Flights closer to the poles also contribute to higher doses. Researchers estimate that flight crews in the U.S. receive between 3 and 6 millisieverts of cosmic radiation annually, a dose significantly higher than that experienced by the general population.