IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans

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Abstract	See Section 1 of the Monograph on X-radiation and γ-radiation in this volume. 3 H is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that emits low-energy β-particles. 3 H is readily taken into the body via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption; once deposited in the body, 3 H acts as an internal emitter. While ubiquitous , the low magnitude of 3 H doses typical of environmental and occupational settings makes epidemiological research on the health effects of 3 H intakes difficult. Large studies are required to derive estimates with statistical stability, confounding must be minimized in order not to obscure or bias estimates of association that are often modest in low-dose settings, and exposure assessment must be of high quality to minimize bias due to measurement error. These requirements need to be given due consideration when evaluating the evidence on the carcinogenicity of β-particle irradiation arising from 3 H intakes. The current review of the epidemiological literature focuses on studies of workers in the nuclear power and weapons industry for whom 3 H could have been an important contribution to the dose. While environmental releases of 3 H have led to large numbers of people exposed to low levels of 3 H, there have been few epidemiological studies of these exposures, and none has quantified doses from 3 H. This review gives primary attention to epidemiological analyses in which individuals' 3 H exposures were quantified permitting comparisons between groups with different exposure histories. Several studies have considered the risk of prostate cancer and occupational exposures to radionuclides, including 3 H, among United Kingdom nuclear industry workers. Rooney et al. (1993) reported on a case–control study of UKAEA (United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority) workers with follow-up through 1986, noting a significantly elevated relative risk of prostate cancer among workers with INTERNALIZED β-PARTICLE EMITTING RADIONUCLIDES Internalized radionuclides that emit β-particles were considered by a previous IARC Working Group in 2000 (IARC, 2001). Since that time, new data have become available, these have been incorporated into the Monograph, and taken into consideration in the present evaluation.
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