title: Follow-up study of a pregnant woman 16 years after exposure in the Xinzhou radiation accident.
abstract: To investigate the late effects of radiation on child-bearing women, a follow-up study was performed on a 39-year-old survivor 16 years after a (60)Co radiation accident. The woman, Fang, was 19 weeks pregnant at the time of exposure. Physical examinations, a full range of clinical laboratory and imaging tests, as well as cytogenetic analyses were conducted to evaluate Fang's current health conditions. Fang shows the appearance of premature ageing and has a decreased menstrual period. Laboratory studies and imaging tests suggest nodular goitre disease and osteoporosis. Otherwise, no apparent abnormalities were found in the major organs. No malignant tumours were detected by either tumour markers or imaging tests. However, the existence of chromosome aberrations warrants long-term follow-up for tumour incidence in the future. Fang became pregnant 8 years after the accident, but suffered a miscarriage due to the death of the foetus at 6 months into the pregnancy. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the intrauterine death of the foetus might be associated with the previous exposure. There is no evidence of malignant tumours as of the date of the follow-up study. Non-cancerous diseases, i.e. thyroid disease and osteoporosis, which may be related to radiation exposure, are the major manifestations of the long-term effects of the accident.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Tumor Chemotherapy and Radiation Sickness, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China. zhangzh603@126.com
authors.forename: Zhao-hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Shu-lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ting-zhen
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Qing-jie
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.forename: Bao-Shan
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Wen-chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen-xue
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zuo-yuan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D017741:Survivors; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*