Comparison of radiation-related cancer risk against baseline cancer rates in 33 countries using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), lifetime incidence risk and lifetime mortality risks

Abstract A risk indicator that allows for the comparison of risks caused by different factors is highly useful for enhancing public understanding. The International Commission on Radiological Protection developed the concept of “detriment” to quantify radiation-related health effects at low doses. However, the detriment is specific to the radiation field and cannot be simply compared with other risks. In this study, the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), lifetime incidence risk, and lifetime mortality risk due to radiation exposure were compared among 33 countries. These risk indicators were calculated for all solid cancers, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and leukaemia. The values of risk indicators for all solid cancers differed by a factor of 1.5–2.0 for male and 1.2–1.5 for female among countries, with higher values observed in countries with a higher socio-demographic index (SDI). The ratios of radiation exposure indicators to the baseline indicators (R/B ratios) were 10%–15% for male and 15%–25% for female under chronic exposure to 20 mSv y−1 radiation from the age of 18 to 64 years, and 1.0%–1.5% for male and 1.5%–2.5% for female under chronic exposure to 1 mSv y−1 radiation over a lifetime. In particular, the R/B ratios under chronic exposure to 1 mSv y−1 radiation were smaller than the coefficient of variation of the baseline risk indicators. Furthermore, the trends in the values of the risk indicators for each cancer site were compared with the detriments used in the radiation field. This study indicated that DALYs should be noted as an alternative indicator to the radiation detriments when discussing the tolerability of radiation and communicating with the society.