The Russian Health Studies Program was developed to assess worker and public health risks from radiation exposure resulting from nuclear weapons production activities in the former Soviet Union. The goals and objectives are to: 1) better understand the relationship between health effects and chronic, low-to-medium dose radiation exposures; 2) determine radiation-induced cancer risks form exposure to gamma, neutron, and alpha radiation; and 3) improve and validate DOE, U.S., and international radiation protection standards/practices.

U.S./Russian cooperation was initiated in 1994 under a bi-national agreement. The work is conducted under the management of the Joint Coordinating Committee for Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER), of which DOE is the lead U.S. agency and the Ministry of Emergencies is the lead Russian agency.

The bulk of the joint scientific work is conducted in Russia, with the U.S. researchers supplementing expertise available in Russia. DOE funds the U.S. and Russian scientific teams. Russian ministries provide support-in-kind through making available personnel, facilities, data, etc. The first several years involved building infrastructure in Russia (computers, telephones, fax machines, and internet connections) and linking eminent U.S. and Russian researchers. Over the last three years, the rate of research has rapidly increased with greater focus on the research. Much of the radiation dose reconstruction work is unique and of very high quality. The peer-reviewed publication record is excellent and growing. As of December 31, 2003, more than 90 scientific articles have been published peer-reviewed journals. The science is recognized worldwide for its critical contribution to radiation research.

Since 1994, all radiation effects research activities have focused on the Mayak Production Association (Mayak), the first Soviet nuclear weapons production facility in Ozersk, Russia. Mayak began operations in 1948. At various times, Mayak accidentally or intentionally released large quantities of radioactive materials into the environment from its seven uranium-graphite production reactors and its radiochemical processing plant. These releases resulted in significant exposures of ionizing radiation for protracted periods of time to workers and people living along the Techa River downstream from the complex. It is estimated that several workers accumulated radiation doses of over 5 Gray (Gy) at rates averaging about 1 Gy per year. Radioactive discharges to the Techa River of approximately 3 million Curies contaminated the river for over 250 km downstream and irradiated nearly 124,000 people living along its banks.

DOE currently sponsors 11 projects. Of these, five core projects focus on the epidemiology and dosimetry of the Techa River population and the Mayak workers: Techa River Population Epidemiology (Project 1.1b); Techa River Population Dosimetry (Project 1.1); Ozersk Population Dose Reconstruction from Mayak Atmospheric Releases (Project 1.4); Mayak Worker Epidemiology (Project 2.2); and Mayak Worker Dosimetry (Project 2.4). The other six projects are: physical preservation of data related to the Techa River population at the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (Project 1.2a); microdosimetry for plutonium-induced lung disease (Project 2.5); Molecular Markers of Lung Cancer in Mayak Workers (Project 2.6); Biomarkers of Radiation Exposure (Project 2.7); Mayak Worker Tissue Repository (Project 2.8); and Database Integration (Project 2.9). A twelfth study, deterministic effects in Mayak workers (Project 2.3), was sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In addition, the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the European Commission sponsor other studies in the Mayak workers and the Techa River population.

What is the relationship of the Russian Health Studies Program to other radiation health effects programs?

Current radiation protection standards are derived from studies of the Japanese atomic bomb survivors and patients who received medical irradiation therapy. However, exposures to radiation in the Japanese cohort were for a limited time and were external. In addition, radiation-related adverse health effects were observed in individuals exposed at doses greater than 10 to 20 rem. Of note, current U.S. limits for occupational radiation exposure are 5 rem per year.

On the other hand, the Russian nuclear weapons production workers at Mayak accumulated larger cumulative dose that the Japanese cohort. Moreover, the Mayak workers had both long-term exposure (10 to 30 years) to plutonium and gamma and neutron radiation. This combination of radiation over a working lifetime is more representative of the way doses are received by DOE workers. Also available for study are those Russians living near Mayak who received relatively low doses of both internal and external radiation (less than 1 rem per year) over a long period (20 to 30 years).

Therefore, the Russian Health Studies Program is more relevant to radiation risks experienced by DOE nuclear weapons production workers and commercial nuclear workers based on the comparability of exposures.

The Russian Health Studies Program Complements the Office of Science Low Dose Radiation Research Program

The Office of Science has funded a major radiation research program investigating the effects of relatively low doses of radiation on various human and non-human tissues. Although there may be significant results emerging from this program, its results will need to be validated in humans, such as those at Mayak and surrounding communities.

What are current unresolved questions in radiation research?

The most crucial issue in radiation research is the determination of the effect on human health of exposures of less than 5 rem per year. Such exposures are more likely to have been received by DOE workers and surrounding populations. The major reasons to perform studies of workers and people in communities surrounding Russian nuclear weapons production sites is to extend current knowledge of radiation risks at lower doses than that based on Japanese studies and to validate radiation protection standards.

Significant Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2003:

• Project 2.6, Molecular Markers of Lung Cancer, is the first molecular epidemiology study on radiation
• After adjustment for age and gender, when compared to controls, plutonium plant workers were found to have a significantly increased risk of methylation of the p16 tumor suppressor gene in individuals with adenocarcinoma of the lung
• Given the renewed threat for nuclear terrorism following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, follow-up studies will determine whether specific methylation changes could be evaluated as intermediate biomarkers in risk assessment of persons exposed to radiation
• Project 2.7, Radiation Biomarkers, was the first to demonstrate a statistically significant dose-response between plutonium exposure and intra-arm chromosomal aberrations from worker blood samples, which is likely to result in the development of a dose-related biomarker of plutonium exposure.

Future Plans:

• Renew JCCRER Agreement.
• Continue supporting current projects.

Program Manager: Barrett N. Fountos, 301-903-6740