Cancer strikes flight attendants at higher than average rates
Exposure to ionizing radiation, poor cabin air quality probable factors
Flight attendants have a higher incidence of melanoma, breast, uterine and other kinds of cancer, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Health aimed at characterizing the prevalence of cancer diagnoses among U.S. cabin crew relative to the general population.
The study’s authors note that flight attendants “are a highly understudied occupational cohort that is consistently exposed to several known and probable carcinogens in the cabin environment,” including cosmic ionizing radiation at flight altitude; Circadian rhythm disruption due to night shift work, irregular schedules and frequently crossing time zones; and poor cabin air quality. Many flight attendants working today were also exposed to high levels of secondhand tobacco smoke before in-flight smoking bans were implemented.