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Radiation effects on cancer risks in the Life Span Study cohort
Kazunori Kodama1, Kotaro Ozasa, Hiroaki Katayama
1Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minamiku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan. kodama@rerf.or.jp
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
|August 22, 2012
Summary
Radiation exposure from atomic bombs increases cancer risks throughout life, with higher rates in women. These risks persist for decades, impacting both solid cancers and leukemia.
Area of Science:
- Radiation epidemiology
- Atomic bomb survivor studies
- Long-term health effects of ionizing radiation
Background:
- The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) studies late health effects in atomic bomb survivors.
- The Life Span Study (LSS) population includes 93,000 survivors and 27,000 controls.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine late health effects of radiation in atomic bomb survivors.
- To analyze cancer incidence and mortality risks following radiation exposure.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort.
- Analysis of cancer incidence and mortality data in relation to radiation dose and age at exposure.
Main Results:
- Solid cancer rates increase by 35% (men) and 58% (women) per Gray (Gy) after exposure at age 30, persisting throughout life.
- Radiation effects on leukemia mortality persist for over five decades.
- A dose-response for myelodysplastic syndrome is observed 40-60 years post-exposure.
Conclusions:
- Age at exposure is a significant risk modifier for radiation-induced cancers.
- Continued follow-up of the LSS cohort is crucial, especially for those exposed under age 20, as they enter peak cancer-prone years.
- Radiation exposure has long-lasting effects on both solid cancer and leukemia risks.
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