Radiation-induced cancer and its modifying factor among A-bomb survivors

The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) and its successor, the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, have conducted a long-term follow-up study of a cohort of 120,000 atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors and non-exposed controls since 1950. The most recent findings regarding cancer mortality and incidence in this cohort can be briefly summarized as follows: 1) An increase in leukemia mortality among A-bomb survivors peaked 5-6 years after the bombing and has decreased with time thereafter. In addition to leukemia, the incidence of cancer of the lung, breast, esophagus, stomach, colon, thyroid, ovary, urinary tract, and multiple myeloma increases with dose. At present, there is no indication of an increase in cancer of the rectum or uterus among A-bomb survivors. In general, radiation-induced solid cancers begin to appear after the age at which they are normally prone to develop, and have continued to increase with time in proportion to the natural increase in mortality of the control group. 2) There are factors which modify the effects of radiation, such as age at the time of bombing (ATB) and sex. Sensitivity to radiation, in terms of cancer induction, is higher for persons who were young ATB in general, than for those who were older ATB. 3) There was no increase in childhood cancer among those exposed while in utero, but there is a recent indication of an increase in cancer incidence among these persons as they age. 4) There seems to be no interaction in a multiplicative way between radiation and smoking and lung cancer induction.