Leukemia in Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survivors

Abstract

The incidence of leukemia is higher among those closely exposed than among those more remote from the hypocenter. This increase was first manifest approximately three years following exposure. It apparently reached its peak between the years 1950 and 1952. Thereafter, the incidence has been diminishing, but 13 years after exposure it is still higher than would be expected in the general population. The type of leukemia most increased in incidence is the chronic granulocytic variety. No apparent difference in the natural history of the specific types of leukemia in exposed and nonexposed Japanese has been observed. Preliminary analyses of the data show a linear relation between dose of radiation and incidence of leukemia above 50 to 100 rad. Below this dose, the shape of the curve is not certain.

Demographic factors related to young age at diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia in India

“…3,4 Thus far, only one carcinogen has been well documented for CML, that is exposure to radiation. 5,6 Some studies, however, suggest that other environmental exposures, particularly those relating to agricultural work, are associated with increased leukemia risk, including CML. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In a recent study using data from the Glivec ® International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP), which was developed to provide imatinib free of cost to uninsured and underinsured patients in developing countries, we noted significant differences in age of diagnosis and overall survival within and between regions, suggesting important geographically related environmental risk factors for CML, independent of the availability of treatment.…”

Cancer of the head and neck in atomic bomb survivors: Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 1957–1976

“…Occurrence of cancer by site and radiation dose, cities and sexes combined, for total and definite cases is shown $ LSS sample: LSS person-years (2,406,609). N.S.…”

Estimation of the number of mutations necessary to cause chronic myeloid leukaemia from epidemiological data

“…When carcinogens have been applied to experimental animals, age is usually unimportant, arguing against an increased susceptibility to mutation with age (Peto et al, 1986). Comparable data have been obtained from survivors of therapeutic and atomic bomb radiation, where the incidence of post-exposure CML decreased slightly with increasing age (Heyssel et al, 1960;Finch & Linet, 1992). This is fairly conclusive evidence that the target number of haemopoietic stem cells and the susceptibility per cell to any given mutagenic insult does not increase exponentially with age; results helping to justify assumption 4.…”