UNLABELLED: During flight, cosmic radiation is capable to penetrate the walls of airplanes and produce mutations in human chromosomes.AIM: To evaluate the correlations between cosmic radiation and the pathology of flying personnel.MATERIAL AND METHOD: Two twin patients, one with 15 years work as a flight crew member, and the other with regular work on the ground. The patients were examined clinically, biochemically and with imaging methods. The genetic and environmental contribution to their pathology was noted. The patient, working in flight, received additional genetic tests to refute or to confirm the presence of chromosome alterations induced by the cosmic radiation.RESULTS: The patient, member of the flight crew, presented hypercholesterolemia, more evident structure modifications of the mammary gland, but chromosome alterations were not present.CONCLUSIONS: Having a first grade relative with dyslipidemia and uterine cancer, the structural or blood homeostasis modifications of the flight crew member can be either due to a high, genetically transmitted, susceptibility to the effects of the plane's microclimate and possibly to effects of lifestyle.
Adult Aircraft