Preleukemic state in atomic bomb survivors, with special reference to retro- and prospective analysis
Hematologic and cytogenetic studies were made on five leukemia patients who had a history of atomic bomb exposure and blood disorders such as anemia and/ or leukopenia for 5 or 13 years preceding the terminal development of acute leukemia (the first group). Of the 5 cases, 3 were exposed within 1,000 meters from the hypocentre. Hematologically abnormal characteristics in the preleukemic stage in these cases were anemia (all cases, 5/5), monocytosis (4/5), prolonged leukopenia for over 10 years (4/5), appearance of erythroblasts in the blood one to 5 years prior to the development of leukemia (4/5), erythroid hyperplasia in bone marrow (3/5), maturation arrest in the granulocyte series (3/5), and presence of abnormal mitosis resulting in bi-nucleated immature granulocytes in bone marrow and its maturation forms in blood (3/5). Chromosome aberrations were observed in 4 of the 5 cases in the period before their leukemia became overt clinically. There were 5 other cases with anemia (sideroblastic, PNH, and aplastic) which had chromosome aberrations in the bone marrow cells but were not diagnosed as leukemia (the second group). Furthermore, five heavily irradiated persons were presented who had abnormal chromosomes with some clones in their marrow cells without any clinical complaints (the third group). Morphologically abnormal characteristics, especially the presence of bi-nucleated immature granulocytes, and bone marrow chromosome aberrations in the preleukemic stage were discussed in terms of leukemogenesis following radiation exposure. (auth) H03 H0227049 Review of the data accumulated at Nagasaki University and ABCC during the past 20 years revealed 156 cases of aplastic anemia. The risk of aplastic anemia among atomic bomb survivors did not show a statistically significant increase. Two cases of acute leukemia among proximally exposed survivors showed a temporary severe decrease of leucocyte count immediately following atomic bomb explosion. Eight cases of specific anemia among proximally exposed persons during about 1949 to 1955 were discovered. These cases showed pancytopenia of peripheral blood and blast cell focus in some cases or acute myelofibrosis in other cases in bone marrow. It seems that the bone marrow of atomic bomb survivors who were exposed to heavy doses of radiation was one of preleukemic status. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Research Inst. for Nuclear Medicine and Biology, Hiroshima
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-027048
- OSTI ID:
- 4345401
- Journal Information:
- Rinsho Ketsueki, v. 13, no. 3, pp. 313-322, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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