Cancer Incidence in a Population Living Near Radioactive Waste Storage of Uranium Mining in Stepnogorsk Area, Northern Kazakhstan - Editorial Process: Submission 12/04/2023 Acceptance 08/04/2024

Sep 21, 2026

This study evaluates how radioactive uranium waste storage facilities influence cancer occurrence in nearby communities in Stepnogorsk area, Northern Kazakhstan. The critical area comprised Aqsu, Kvartsitka, Zavodskoy, and Stepnogorsk within 5 km of the Hydrometallurgical Plant tailings dump, while a control group used the Akkol region 90 km away. Using Kazakhstan’s Electronic Register of Cancer Patients (2001–2015), 2,271 incident cases were analyzed. Digestive and respiratory malignancies were most frequent.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Study population

RESEARCH ARTICLE Editorial Process: Submission:12/04/2023 Acceptance:08/04/2024 Cancer Incidence in a Population Living Near Radioactive Waste Storage of Uranium Mining in Stepnogorsk Area, Northern Kazakhstan Kuralay Ilbekova1 *, Danara Ibrayeva1, Polat Kazymbet1, Meirat Bakhtin1, Yerbol Dogalbayev2 Abstract Objective: This study evaluates the impact ofradioactive uranium waste storage facilities on cancer occurrence in nearby areas. Methods: Current research evaluates the effect of radioactive uranium waste storage facilities on cancer epidemiology in nearby areas. The critical area had Aqsu, Kvartsitka, Zavodskoy and Stepnogorsk cities, which are located at a less than 5 km distance to the south of the Hydrometallurgical Plant tailings dump while the control group had Akkol region in 90 km from the source. The majority of population had lived in this territory more than the 30 years. Data were obtained from the Electronic Register of Cancer Patients of the Republic of Kazakhstan from 2001- 2015, and 2,271 incident cases of cancer were registered. Results: The most frequent malignancies were observed in the digestive organs (646 cases, 28%) and respiratory and intrathoracic organs (376 cases, 17%) . The proportion of digestive organ cancers was higher in the critical group (560 cases out of 1913, 29%) than in the control group (86 cases out of 358, 24%). Additionally, respiratory organ cancers were more common in men, but the cancer incidence rate ratio was higher in the critical area. Notably, the study found that the cancer incidence rate ratios decreased over time, specifically for digestive, respiratory and female genital organs and breast cancer. Conclusion: In conclusion, while our study highlights significant differences in cancer incidence rates and frequencies between the critical and control groups, further analytical research, incorporating age-adjustment, is needed to provide a more conclusive evaluation of the potential impact of residence in proximity to the uranium mining waste storage on cancer occurrence in the study area. Keywords: Cancer incidence-radioactive waste-cancer risk factors Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 25 (8), 2685-2693 Introduction The potential health effects associated with uranium mining and other types of non-radiation-related mining activities do not differ significantly [1] . Kazakhstan has the second largest (14% of world reserves) uranium reserves in the world, 67% of which are suitable for mining by the in-situ leaching method, which is the most environmentally friendly and lowest-cost method of uranium mining [2]. According to the World Nuclear Association, in 2021, Kazakhstan became the world’s leading uranium producer, accounting for almost 45% of global production, which is equivalent to 21,819 tonnes uranium (U) [3] . Scientists started studies on the radiation safety of Kazakhstani land in the 1990s because of possible uranium deposits. The research on radiation safety is carried out in accordance with the Laws “On the use of atomic energy” [4] and “On the protection of the population from ionizing radiation” [5] . The largest regions enriched in uranium deposits are located within Northern Kazakhstan, where about 16.4% of the republic’s uranium resources are concentrated [6] . In addition, there are also large storage facilities for radioactive waste in Northern and Western Kazakhstan. The total area exposed to radioactive waste from the uranium industry is approximately 100,000 ha with a total activity of 250,000 Curie [7] The growth in uranium production, the increase in the number, and the expansion of existing storage facilities for radioactive waste at uranium mining enterprises have an unfavorable impact on the environment and population. The study of Ibrayeva et al. (2020) showed that gamma radiation, radon exposure, and uranium concentration in soil are contaminating the environment of Northern Kazakhstan. The outdoor gamma dose rates (0.13-2.87 μSv

FAQs

What was the objective of the study?

To evaluate the impact of radioactive uranium waste storage facilities on cancer occurrence in nearby areas.

How were the critical and control areas defined?

The critical group included cities within less than 5 km south of the tailings dump, while the control group used the Akkol region located 90 km from the source.

Which cancers were most frequent and how did they differ between groups?

Digestive organ cancers (646 cases, 28%) and respiratory/intrathoracic cancers (376 cases, 17%) were most frequent; digestive cancers were proportionally higher in the critical group than the control group.

Sep 21, 2026

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