Results from the third study on mortality and cancer incidence
among F-111 aircraft maintenance personnel, commissioned by the
Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs, were
released today by the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare.
The report, Third study of mortality and cancer incidence in
aircraft maintenance personnel: A continuing study of F-111
Deseal/Reseal personnel, is a follow-up study into cancer
incidence in aircraft maintenance personnel involved in the F-111
aircraft Deseal/Reseal (DSRS) programs between 1977 and 1999.
'The initial study in 2004 was prompted by concerns that these
workers may have had greater health risks due to the chemicals used
in the desealing and resealing of F-111 fuel tanks,' said Ilona
Brockway of the AIHW's Population Health Unit.
This report looks at health outcomes up to the end of 2004, and
compares the cases of cancers and deaths in the exposed workers
against the cases in the general Australian male population and two
other groups from RAAF bases.
Findings from this study are consistent with the 2004 study.
'Findings indicate that although overall cancer incidence in men
who were involved in DSRS programs was higher than the Australian
male population, the numbers were too small to be statistically
significant,' said Ms Brockway.
Of a range of individual cancers studied, only lip cancer had a
significantly higher incidence in the exposed personnel - four
cases, instead of the expected one case.
'Overall mortality was lower for DSRS personnel when compared
with the Australian male population, but this could be because of
the generally higher levels of overall health and fitness among
military personnel when compared to the general population,' she
said.
Only mortality for non-Hodgkin lymphoma was significantly higher
- two deaths instead of the nil deaths expected.
Comparing the exposed with non-exposed workers showed a
marginally statistically significant increased cancer incidence,
however the results for mortality were less clear.
The AIHW believes that the small numbers make interpretation of
these results inconclusive and recommends that the study be
repeated in 2011 when more data will be available to improve
certainty about the findings.
Friday 20 February 2009
Further information: Ilona Brockway, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1127, mob. 0418 271 395.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. (02) 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications area
for the availability of Third study of mortality
and cancer incidence in aircraft maintenance personnel: A
continuing study of F-111 Deseal/Reseal personnel.