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Low-dose radiation: a cause of breast cancer

Journal Article · · Cancer; (United States)

It is likely that the breast is the organ most sensitive to radiation carcinogenesis in postpubertal women. Studies of different exposed populations have yielded remarkably consistent results, in spite of wide differences in underlying breast cancer rates and conditions of exposure. Excess risk is approximately proportional to dose, and is relatively independent of ionization density and fractionization of dose. This implies that the risk associated with low-dose exposures to ionizing radiation can be estimated with some confidence from higher-dose data. Excess risk is heavily dependent on age at exposure but relatively independent of population differences in normal risk. The temporal patterns after exposure of both radiation-induced and naturally occurring breast cancer are similar, suggesting a strong influence of factors other than radiation on radiation-induced breast cancer. Uncertainties remain about risks from exposures before puberty and after menopause.

OSTI ID:
5006311
Journal Information:
Cancer; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer; (United States) Vol. 46:4; ISSN CANCA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

550602 -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
A-BOMB SURVIVORS
ACUTE EXPOSURE
ACUTE IRRADIATION
AGE DEPENDENCE
ANIMALS
BARYONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
CARCINOGENESIS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
CHRONIC IRRADIATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DELAYED RADIATION EFFECTS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FEMALES
FERMIONS
FLUOROSCOPY
GAMMA RADIATION
GLANDS
HADRONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
LOW DOSE IRRADIATION
MAMMALS
MAMMARY GLANDS
MAN
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEONS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PRIMATES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOLOGY
RISK ASSESSMENT
VERTEBRATES
WOMEN
X RADIATION