Study Shows Airline Crew Face Elevated Radiation Cancer Death Risk

Study Shows Airline Crew Face Elevated Radiation Cancer Death Risk

Health

Researchers led by Dr. Vishal Patel reported in Washington, D. C. that pilots and flight attendants have the highest proportion of radiation-related cancer deaths among more than 500 U.

S. occupations, based on death-certificate data from 2020-2024. The study, co-authored by Catherine Olsen, Ken Karipidis and Sara Nelson, examined over 500 occupations and identified aviation crew as the highest-risk group. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and the Federal Aviation Administration noted the findings and called for better radiation-exposure education for crew members.

Actors

Dr. Vishal Patel Catherine Olsen Ken Karipidis Sara Nelson Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Federal Aviation Administration

Locations

Washington, D.C., United States

Articles

August 20, 2026
2 total
Study Finds Pilots and Flight Attendants Face Higher Odds of Radiation-Related Cancer Deaths
Study Finds Pilots and Flight Attendants Face Higher Odds of Radiation-Related Cancer Deaths

Yahoo • 20 Aug 15:29

Analysis of U.S. death certificates from 2020-2024 shows pilots and flight attendants have the highest proportions of deaths from cancers linked to ionizing radiation among more than 500 occupations.

Credibility 78% Manip. 10% Center
Study Finds Pilots and Flight Attendants Face Higher Radiation-Related Cancer Mortality
Study Finds Pilots and Flight Attendants Face Higher Radiation-Related Cancer Mortality

Newsweek • 20 Aug 15:29

Analysis of U.S. death certificates shows pilots and flight attendants have the highest proportions of deaths from cancers linked to ionizing radiation, prompting calls for better occupational exposure monitoring.

Credibility 72% Manip. 8% Center
August 19, 2026
2 total
Pilots and flight attendants have highest mortality from radiation-linked cancers, study shows
Pilots and flight attendants have highest mortality from radiation-linked cancers, study shows

pbs.org • 19 Aug 19:34

Analysis of more than 12 million death certificates found that airline crew members face significantly higher odds of dying from cancers associated with cosmic radiation than other workers.

Credibility 78% Manip. 8% Center
Study finds pilots and flight attendants face elevated risk of radiation-linked cancers
Study finds pilots and flight attendants face elevated risk of radiation-linked cancers

CNN • 19 Aug 17:35

Analysis of more than 12 million death certificates shows airline crew have higher odds of dying from cancers associated with cosmic radiation than the general workforce.

Credibility 78% Manip. 10% Center
August 18, 2026
3 total
Pilots and flight attendants face highest occupational risk of radiation-linked cancer deaths, study finds
Pilots and flight attendants face highest occupational risk of radiation-linked cancer deaths, study finds

KSL News • 18 Aug 19:46

A study of more than 12 million death certificates shows flight attendants and pilots have significantly higher odds of dying from cancers associated with cosmic radiation than other workers.

Credibility 78% Manip. 8% Center
Study Finds Flight Crew Face Highest Mortality Risk from Radiation-Linked Cancers
Study Finds Flight Crew Face Highest Mortality Risk from Radiation-Linked Cancers

ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • 18 Aug 15:43

Analysis of U.S. death certificates shows flight attendants and pilots have significantly higher odds of dying from cancers associated with radiation exposure than other workers.

Credibility 78% Manip. 8% Center
Study Finds Flight Crews Face Highest Risk of Radiation-Related Cancer Deaths
Study Finds Flight Crews Face Highest Risk of Radiation-Related Cancer Deaths

AP News • 18 Aug 15:21

Analysis of over 12 million death certificates shows flight attendants and pilots have significantly higher odds of dying from cancers linked to cosmic radiation than other workers.

Credibility 78% Manip. 8% Center

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