Mortality from hemoblastosis in cities and districts of the Chelyabinsk region affected by radiation accidents

Introduction. The proportion of mortality from malignant neoplasms of lymphoid and hematopoietic tissues - hemoblastosis from all forms of malignant neoplasms ranges from 4% to 8%. In the second half of the twentieth century, in many countries, including the USSR, there was a noticeable increase in mortality from hemoblastosis.

Materials and methods. A selective retrospective epidemiological study of the mortality of the population living in the cities of Kasli and Kyshtym and four districts of the Chelyabinsk region: Argayashsky, Kaslinsky, Kunashaksky, Krasnoarmeysky was conducted. The source of information was the death records in the archive of the regional registry of the Office of the Chelyabinsk region for the period 1947–1996. The analysis was carried out on two groups of malignant neoplasms: malignant neoplasms of lymphoid tissue, malignant neoplasms of myeloid tissue.

Results. Several increases in mortality were noted in Kasli, Kyshtym, Kasli, Argayash, and Krasnoarmeysky districts. The differences with the control reach 2–3 times. The increase in mortality in cities and districts was mainly due to the ages of 60–69 and 70 years and older. In all contaminated areas, at the beginning and at the end of the study period, the mortality rates from lymphoid malignant neoplasms were higher than the mortality from myeloid malignant neoplasms. Since the late 1950s, there has been a prevalence of mortality from myeloid malignant neoplasms over lymphoid malignant neoplasms. The highest mortality rates from myeloid malignant neoplasms occurred in 1957–1966 and 1967–1976.

Limitations. The study period is limited to 1996 due to the inability to obtain source materials for subsequent years.

Conclusion. An increase in mortality from hemoblastosis in the population living in radioactively contaminated areas has been established. The increase in mortality after radiation accidents was due to myeloid malignancies.

Compliance with ethical standards. Minutes No. 4 of the meeting of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Industrial Ecology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences dated 06/10/2024.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: August 22, 2024 / Accepted: December 3, 2024 / Published: April 30, 2025

1. Zaridze D.G., Kaprin A.D., Stilidi I.S. Dynamics of morbidity and mortality from malignant tumors in Russia. Voprosy onkologii. 2018; 64(5): 578–91. https://elibrary.ru/ymkcax (in Russian)

2. Kaprin A.D., Starinskii V.V., Shakhzadova A.O., eds. Malignant Neoplasms in Russia in 2021 (Morbidity and Mortality) [Zlokachestvennye novoobrazovaniya v Rossii v 2021 godu (Zabolevaemost’ i smertnost’)]. Moscow; 2022. (in Russian)

3. Ulumbekova G.E., Petrachkov I.V. Oncohematological diseases in the Russian federation and in developed countries: mortality, incidence, resources and organization of medical assistance in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Orgzdrav. 2022; 8(2): 22–47. https://doi.org/10.33029/2411-8621-2022-8-2-22-47 https://elibrary.ru/znaihd (in Russian)

4. Wingo P.A., Tong T., Bolden S. Cancer statistics, 1995. C.A. Cancer J. Clin. 1995; 45(1): 8–30. https://doi.org/10.3322/canjclin.45.1.8

5. OʹLorcain P., Comber H., Walsh P.M. Trends in Irish cancer mortality rates 1950–2002, with predictions to 2015. Cork: National Cancer registry; 2006.

6. Chekhun V.F., Gluzman D.F., eds. Ionizing Radiation and Oncohematological Diseases [Ioniziruyushchaya radiatsiya i onkogematologicheskie zabolevaniya]. Kiev: DIA; 2016. (in Russian)

7. NIH. Cancer Stat Facts: Leukemia. Available at: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/leuks.html

8. Saraiva D.D.C.A., Santos S.D.S., Monteiro G.T.R. Leukemia mortality trends in children and adolescents in Brazilian state capitals: 1980–2015. Epidemiol. Serv. Saude. 2018; 27(3): e2017310. https://doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742018000300004

9. Zhiguleva L.Yu. Analysis of death rates related to hemoblastosis in the population of St. Petersburg for the period of 1990–2016 and the forecast up to 2026. Menedzher zdravookhraneniya. 2018; (8): 23–31. https://elibrary.ru/ylfiod (in Russian)

10. Zyubina L.Yu., Panacheva L.A., Shpagina L.A., Kareva N.P., Kotova O.S., Zueva M.A., et al. Evolutionary peculiarities of hematological syndromes and blood diseases from exposure to occupational hazards. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya. 2019; (1): 45–50. https://doi.org/10.31089/1026-9428-2019-1-45-50 https://elibrary.ru/csnzdt (in Russian)

11. Machado S.G., Land C.E., McKay F.W. Cancer mortality and radioactive fallout in southwestern Utah. Am. J. Epidemiol. 1987; 125(1): 44–61. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114511

12. Little M.P., Weiss H.A., Boice J.D. Jr., Darby S.C., Day N.E., Muirhead C.R. Risks of leukemia in Japanese atomic bomb survivors, in women treated for cervical cancer, and in patients treated for ankylosing spondylitis. Radiat. Res. 1999; 152(3): 280–92.

13. Glebova S.E., Maksyutov M.A., Kochergina E.V., Kozyreva P.Yu., Poluektova M.V. Dynamics of the hemoblastosis structure among the liquidators of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. In: Medical Radiological Consequences of Chernobyl: Prognosis and Evidence after 30 Years [Meditsinskie radiologicheskie posledstviya Chernobylya: prognoz i fakticheskie dannye spustya 30 let]. Obninsk; 2016. https://elibrary.ru/ylskmt (in Russian)

14. Krestinina L.Yu., Silkin S.S., Akleyev A.V. Risk of developing hematological malignancies in the cohort of the east Urals radioactive trace. Radiatsiya i risk (Byulleten’ Natsionalnogo radiatsionno-epidemiologicheskogo registra). 2019; 28(2): 36–50. https://doi.org/10.21870/0131-3878-2019-28-2-36-50 https://elibrary.ru/iioziq (in Russian)

15. Veyalkin I.V., Cheshik A.A. Risk of hemoblastosis in the population affected by the Chernobyl disaster. Zhurnal Grodnenskogo gosudarstvennogo meditsinskogo universiteta. 2021; 19(6): 686–90. https://doi.org/10.25298/2221-8785-2021-19-6-686-690 https://elibrary.ru/mdqlva (in Russian)

16. Krestinina L.Yu., Preston D.L., Ostroumova E.V., Ron E., V’yushkova O.V., Akleev A.V. Mortality from malignant neoplasms in a cohort of people exposed to radiation on the Techa River: preliminary risk assessments. Byulleten’ sibirskoi meditsiny. 2005; (2): 52–62. (in Russian)

17. Krestinina L.Y., Preston D.L., Davis F.G., Epifanova S., Ostroumova E., Ron E., et al. Leukaemia incidence among people exposed to chronic radiation from the contamination Techa river, 1953–2005. Radiat. Environ. Biophys. 2010; 49(2): 195–201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-009-0257-5

18. Krestinina L.Y., Davis F.G., Schonfeld S., Preston D.L., Degteva M., Epifanova S., et al. Leukaemia incidence in the Techa River Cohort: 1953–2007. Br. J. Cancer. 2013; 109(11): 2886–93. https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2013.614

19. Sabynych V.A., Klimov V.S., Okun D.B. Analysis of hemoblastosis incidence in Primorsky Krai. Meditsina i obrazovanie v Sibiri. 2013; (1): 1–6. https://elibrary.ru/qbmhxp (in Russian)

20. Population Pyramids of the World from 1950 to 2100. Available at: https://populationpyramid.net

21. Sosnina S.F., Okatenko P.V., Yurkin A.M., Rogacheva S.A., Gruzdeva E.A., Sokolnikov M.E. Leukemia risk and the pattern of dose accumulation. Part 1: characteristics of the study group of the Mayak production association personnel. Radiatsionnaya gigiena. 2019; 12(4): 18–28. https://doi.org/10.21514/1998-426X-2019-12-4-18-28 https://elibrary.ru/zhzarr (in Russian)

22. Konshina L.G., Lipanova L.L. Oncological mortality of children in the territories of the Chelyabinsk region affected by radiation accidents. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal). 2022; 101(6): 662–9. https://doi.org/10.47470/0016-9900-2022-101-6-662-669 https://elibrary.ru/mvhoqh (in Russian)

23. Susuleva N.A. Pediatric basics about tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues in children. Pediatriya. Consilium medicum. 2022; (1): 59–65. https://doi.org/10.26442/26586630.2022.1.201420 https://elibrary.ru/bhvisd (in Russian)