title: Radiation and cancer risk in atomic-bomb survivors.
abstract: With the aim of accurately assessing the effects of radiation exposure in the Japanese atomic-bomb survivors, the Radiation Effects Research Foundation has, over several decades, conducted studies of the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort, comprising 93 000 atomic-bomb survivors and 27 000 controls. Solid cancer: the recent report on solid cancer incidence found that at age 70 years following exposure at age 30 years, solid cancer rates increase by about 35%  Gy(-1) for men and 58% Gy(-1)  for women. Age-at-exposure is an important risk modifier. In the case of lung cancer, cigarette smoking has been found to be an important risk modifier. Radiation has similar effects on first-primary and second-primary cancer risks. Finally, radiation-associated increases in cancer rates appear to persist throughout life. Leukaemia: the recent report on leukaemia mortality suggests that radiation effects on leukaemia mortality persisted for more than 50 years. Moreover, significant dose-response for myelodysplastic syndrome was observed in Nagasaki LSS members even 40-60 years after radiation exposure. Future perspective: given the continuing solid cancer increase in the survivor population, the LSS will likely continue to provide important new information on radiation exposure and solid cancer risks for another 15-20 years, especially for those exposed at a young age.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), 5-2 Hijiyama Park, Minamiku, Hiroshima 732-0815, Japan. kodama@rerf.or.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozasa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okubo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000401:mortality*; D009689:Nuclear Warfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054043:Nuclear Weapons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011847:Radioactive Fallout