Causes of death in a cohort of 260 plutonium workers.

The United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR) is a unique postmortem research study of the biokinetics, dosimetry, and possible biological effects of actinide elements in persons with occupational exposure to these radioelements. Evaluation of the causes of death in the admittedly biased self-selected cohort of the first 260 deceased participants in the USTUR revealed, in general, no apparently elevated causes of death except for six cases of mesothelioma and six cases of astrocytoma glioblastoma multiforme. The mesothelioma cases had a documented occupational exposure to asbestos, and the six brain tumor deaths all occurred at a single work site and were not radiation related but rather are likely attributable to a factor specific to the work site or surrounding area. Incidental findings in this cohort did not suggest any radiation related illness or cause of death.