Environmental radiation releases from a nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Apollo, Pennsylvania may have exposed the surrounding population to ionizing radiation. This study characterizes cancer incidence in the population living near the nuclear facility between 1990 and 2010. Cancer incidence in the minor civil divisions surrounding the Apollo facility was compared to a standard population of the state of Pennsylvania adjusted for calendar year, age, sex, and race. Bias due to residential misclassification was considered by adjustment of case count. We also evaluated whether birth cohort effects or changes in population distribution over time affected the standardized incidence rate ratio (SIR). From 1990 to 2010, the observed rate of cancer incidence among males in the Apollo area was 1.56 (95% CI 1.47-1.66) times the expected cancer rate, and among females was 1.38 (95% CI 1.30-1.47) times the expected cancer rate. Accounting for residential misclassification, the SIR for males and females combined was 1.16 (95% CI 1.10-1.21). Residents who were members of earlier birth cohorts had similar SIRs to those born later. This research suggests that cancer incidence among the population surrounding the former Apollo nuclear facility is greater than expected based on statewide rates.
Keywords: Cancer; Epidemiology; Radiation.