Recent evidence of radiation-induced cancer in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors

The most recent A-bomb follow-up data support the following conclusions: (a) the dose-response relationship is consistent with a straight line through the origin, including the lowest dose group (∼ 3 rad); (b) sensitivity to induction of cancer varies considerably by tissue irradiated; (c) most cancers show a radiation effect still increasing 40 years after exposure; (d) a small leukaemia excess among those irradiated is still present in Hiroshima; (e) the thyroid cancer excess is declining at this time; (f) smoking adds to lung cancer incidence; (g) certain benign tumours show a radiation-related effect: (h) children under the age of 10 at time of bombing (ATB) are presenting showing the highest relative risk for cancer compared with all other ages ATB at equal attained age. If this persists, then age-specific lifetime cancer risk coefficients are necessary, and for those irradiated as young children may be quite high. (author)