Most people associate dangerous jobs with heavy machinery, chemicals or physically demanding work. But some of the biggest health risks are invisible and may not become apparent until decades later.
According to a new study from Harvard Medical School, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, commercial pilots and flight attendants face the highest proportion of radiation-related cancer deaths among all occupations studied in the United States, reports Unilad.
The researchers analysed nearly 13 million death certificates from 2020 to 2024, making it one of the largest investigations of its kind.
Exposure at altitude
The research examined 503 different occupations and found that airline crews ranked above workers who handle radioactive materials, including nuclear technologists.
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Around 6.9% of deaths among flight attendants and 6.7% among pilots were linked to cancers associated with radiation exposure.
The study, led by Dr. Vishal Patel of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, accounted for factors including age, sex, ethnicity and education to better determine the impact of occupational exposure.
A hidden workplace risk
Scientists say the increased risk is linked to cosmic radiation encountered during flights at cruising altitude, where Earth's atmosphere provides less protection against high-energy particles from space.
The researchers also found higher death rates from breast cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, central nervous system cancers and, among pilots, leukemia. Aircraft mechanics, however, did not show a similar increase in radiation-related cancer deaths.
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Calls for stronger protection
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flight crews receive significantly higher annual doses of cosmic radiation than the average traveller.
Despite this, US regulations do not require the same radiation monitoring or dose limits that exist for several other radiation-exposed professions.
Senior author Dr. Anupam Jena believes the findings support stronger radiation protection measures for airline crews and could encourage policymakers to review current workplace safety standards.
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This article is made and published by Mie Hermansen, who may have used AI in the preparation.