Leukemia and related disorders

The studies of radiation leukemogenesis in atomic bomb survivors is reviewed. Leukemia appeared early and was one of the most striking evident somatic effects of radiation in atomic bomb survivors. Leukemogenic effects of radiation vary by quality and quantity of radiation dose, age at the time of exposure, elapsed time after exposure and type of leukemia. Although the risk of leukemia in atomic bomb survivors is now greatly reduced with elapsed time after exposure, there is no evidence that the risk of leukemia has returned to control levels in those survivors who received a significant radiation dose even almost 30 years after the bombings. No significant clinical and pathologic manifestation of leukemia related to radiation dose was reported except the absence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in those survivors who received a significant dose. A briefer review is also made of various studies concerning atomic bomb exposure and the incidence of related disorders such as malignant lymphoma, aplastic anemia and other hematologic disorders. (auth.)