EPIDEMIOLOGY OF LEUKEMIA: BACKGROUND FOR FUTURE STUDIES
The possibilities of relating leukemia incidence to natural radioactivity and to exposure from medical sources of ionizing radiation are discussed. The relation between terrestrial background radiation and leukemia mortality was investigated in northern New England. Age-adjusted leukemia mortality rates were determined for Y background radiation categories. No statistically significant association between level of background radiation and leukemia mortality was demonstrated, nor were any trends discernible, Findings were the same for acute and myeloid forms of leukemia. The minimum population size required to demonstrate a leukemogenic effect of background radiation under conditions prevailing in northern New England was also computed on the basis of available radiogeological data. The number of person-years available to the study (50 million) was found to be sufficient to test only the upper limit of the possible range of dose-effect relation. The results suggest that terrestrial background radiation is not measurably leukemogenic at the dose rates operative in northern New England. The minimum population size necessary, to demonstrate a leukemogenic effect of background radiation was also computed under conditions assumed to prevail in Kerala. Various aspects of leukemogenes due to diagnostic radiation are also discussed. It was concluded that probably not more than 5% of leukemia can be attributed to radiotherapy. At most, 10% of leukemia in children under 10 yr of age can be attributed to prenatal x-ray exposure; postnatal exposure seems to be even less significant. (P.C.H.)
- Research Organization:
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-014017
- OSTI ID:
- 4749965
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the World Health Organization (U.S.), Journal Name: Bulletin of the World Health Organization (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 26; ISSN BWHOA
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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