Data on the cancer risk and mortalities induced by annual background radiations at various ages in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, Iran

Measurement of background radiations (BRs) as the sources of cancer risk, is important. The aim of this study was to measure the BR, as well as its cancer risk and mortalities in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province (KBAp). Indoors and outdoors BRs were measured in eight cities utilizing a Geiger-Muller detector. Five main locations (north, east, west, south, and center) were chosen for measuring outdoor and indoor BRs in each city of KBAp. The BEIR VII-Phase 2 model was used to calculate the BRs induced cancer risks and mortalities of various cancer types at different ages. The average dose rates of outdoor and indoor were 136.9 ± 12.5 and 149.3 ± 19.8 nSv.h(−1), respectively. The average annual effective doses (AEDs) for adults, children, and infants were 0.17, 0.19, and 0.22 mSv.y(−1) due to the outdoor, and 0.73, 0.84, and 0.94 mSv.y(−1) resulting from the indoor exposure, respectively. The average lifetime risk for one year BRs induced cancers was 164.8 ± 15.7 and 307.1 ± 32.3 (in 100,000 people) for new-borns male and female, in that order. This risk decreased with age and reached 11.2 ± 1.6 and 13.8 ± 1.6 (in 100,000 people) for men and women at the age of 80, respectively. The average lifetime risk of mortality due to cancers induced by annual BRs was 70.7 ± 8.3 and 113.8 ± 10.6 (incidence probability in 100,000 people) for new-borns male and female respectively. This risk decreased with age and reached 9.8 ± 1.3 and 12.2 ± 1.3 (in 100,000 people) for men and women at the age of 80 years, respectively.