Pilots and flight attendants face highest risk of radiation-linked cancer deaths

A large-scale study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found that pilots and flight attendants face the highest risk of death from radiation-linked cancers among 503 occupations examined in the United States. Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed nearly 13 million U.S. death records from 2020 to 2024.

The study revealed that radiation-related cancers accounted for approximately 6.9% of deaths among flight attendants and 6.7% among pilots, compared to roughly 5% in the general working population. This risk is attributed to increased exposure to cosmic radiation at high altitudes, where the atmosphere is thinner and provides less protection.

While previous research suggested higher cancer rates in aviation, this study provides broader evidence by linking occupational data to large-scale death records. The findings show that aircrew members may absorb between 3 and 6 millisieverts of radiation annually, significantly more than the average passenger. Labor representatives have noted that while these risks are known, crews often lack sufficient training or information regarding radiation exposure.