RATIONALE: Studying the amount of radiation that patients were exposed to during the clean-up following the Chernobyl nuclear accident may help doctors learn more about the risks of developing leukemia, multiple myeloma, and myelodysplasia.
PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the effect of radiation exposure on patients with leukemia, multiple myeloma, or myelodysplasia who were clean-up workers after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Association between dose of radiation and increased risk of leukemia in the liquidators at Chernobyl
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Relationship between dose and clinical response in the liquidators at Chernobyl
- Modifiers of risk in the liquidators at Chernobyl
- Association between dose of radiation and increased risk of multiple myeloma in the liquidators at Chernobyl
- Association between dose of radiation and increased risk of myelodysplasia in the liquidators at Chernobyl
Estimated Enrollment: |
1000 |
Study Start Date: |
July 1996 |
OBJECTIVES:
Primary
- To test the hypothesis that there is a dose-related increase in risk of leukemia in the liquidators involved in the cleanup work after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident in northern Ukraine in 1986.
- To test the hypothesis that the magnitude of any observed risk per unit dose in these participants is less than that seen in the atomic bomb survivors, who were exposed to essentially instantaneous radiation.
Secondary
- To investigate the nature of dose-response relationship in these participants.
- To identify modifiers of risk (e.g., time since exposure and age at exposure) in these participants.
- To test the hypothesis that there is a dose-related increase in risk of multiple myeloma in these participants.
- To test the hypothesis that there is a dose-related increase in risk of myelodysplasia in these participants.
OUTLINE: Study participants undergo an interview and complete a questionnaire to provide information on personal and family medical histories and occupational exposure to radiation. Participants who are deceased are evaluated via interviews with spouses or other close relatives to obtain medical histories as well as names of co-workers at Chernobyl. Dose estimates of radiation exposure due to the Chernobyl accident or to medical sources of radiation (i.e., CT scans or radiopharmaceuticals) are made during the dosimetry portion of the interview.