SCAR CANCER IN THE ATOMIC BOMB SURVIVORS

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Acta Med. Nagasakiensia

OSTI ID:4629086

Tezuka, H; Harano, C; Shirabe, R

Development of skin cancer in the burned regions of the extremities of two persons exposed in Nagasaki is described, and these two cases are compared with four similar cases reported in Hirosiuma. One of the two Nagasaki cases concerned a 50-yr-old man exposed in the open 1300 m from the hypocenter and incurring extensive flash burns over the upper part of the body. All of the burned areas healed within two months, but four months after exposure a small ulcer developed from a scar on the back of the wrist. Fifteen months after exposure, a squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed at the edge of the spreading, hemorrhagic ulcer. Metastases were noted at this time in a cubital lymph node, and even though amputation of the arm was carried out, extensive metastasis occurred, followed by death 2 yr after exposure. The 2nd Nagasaki case, a 54-yr- old woman exposed in the open 2400 m from the hypocenter, developed an ulcer on the lower leg which followed a course similar to that of the lst case. However, diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin was not made until 10 yr after exposure. The patient refused amputation and died of metastic cancer 12 1/2 yr postexposure. The findings in the Hiroshima cases were very similar to these, and a survey of development of cancer in wounds and burns among the general population of Japan showed that the age, sex, location of the lesion, and its histologic pattern are similar to those found in the six irradiated cases. However, the latent period was less in the irradiated cases (average 7.2 yr) than in the general population (37 yr). Whether irradiation was involved in the pathogenesis of these cancers could not be determined; no such cancers developing from scars were noted in persons exposed 2400 m beyond the hypocenter. The average latent period for cancer developing from Ra or x-ray treatments in Japan is 15.8 yr, or twice that found in the present cases, but the development of the cancers from ulcers was similar. (BBB)

• Research Organization: Nagasaki Univ.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-038754
• OSTI ID: 4629086
• Journal Information: Acta Med. Nagasakiensia, Journal Name: Acta Med. Nagasakiensia Vol. Vol: 7
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BURNS
CANCER
CARCINOGENESIS
LYMPH NODES
LYMPH SYSTEM
MAN
MEDICINE
METASTASES
NAGASAKI
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOTHERAPY
RADIUM
REGENERATION
SEX
SKIN
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
STATISTICS
THERMAL RADIATION
X RADIATION