-~2During the second decade some Rongelap children showed growth retardation which was later realized to be associated with a hypothyroid condition
due to radiation injury to the thyroid gland largely from radioactive {fodine
absorbed at the time of the fallout.
The thyroid dose was estimated to be
335 rads for Rongelap adults and 700-1400 rads for children, the higher dose
in children being due to the smaller size of their thyroid glands,
In 1963 tumors of the thyroid began to appear in Rongelap children and
to a lesser extent in adults.
At the present time 29 of the original popula-
tion of 86 Rongelap and Ailingnae (about 1/3) have developed abnormalities
of the thyroid gland including 18 of 22 persons who were less than 10 years
of age in 1954,
Age at
Group
Ronge lap
Ailingnae
Combined
*
ek
Exposure
No.
< 10
22”
> 10
45
Thy roid
Abnormalities
(% of age group)
18 (82%) ~
—5 (11%) |
kk
|
m 2 (29%)—
Surgery
Cancer
16
1
4
2
< 10
7
> 10
12
“4 (36%)
3
0
< 10
29
20 (70%)
17
1
57
“> 9 (16%)
7
2
> 10
0
3 of these were exposed in utero, one of whom had non-malignant thyroid
tumors removed,
1 of these was exposed in utero.
Of the 29 that have developed abnormalities of the thyroid glands 24 (including
16 of the 18 children) have had thyroid surgery in the United States with three
of the tumors proving to be cancer.
lowing surgery.
No recurrence of tumors has been noted fol-
A low incidence of thyroid tumors has also been noted in the
unexposed Rongelap control and in the low exposure Utirik groups.
The exposed Rongelap people have been treated with thyroid hormone for
the past 10 years and this treatment has successfully maintained normal thyroid