Lung cancers induced by various inhaled alpha emitters. Evaluation of the effect of various parameters and comparison with data obtained from uranium miners

Experimental studies have been carried out since 1970 on the carcinogenic effect of inhaled alpha emitters. The effect of radon and of actinides have been compared on rats of a common origin. Agreement has been observed between the risk values obtained with radon and those found from epidemiological studies on uranium miners. The dose-effect relationship is not linear, and the incidence per unit dose increases as the total dose is reduced. It has also been found that, when the inhaled actinides are soluble, cancers occur in other organs, and estimates of the incidence of these as a function of dose have been made. (author)